IronLeopard - Avengers Fanfiction
by Mairai688
Summary: Tony Stark discovers secrets about himself that changes him forever. Later there is a timeline of him recounting events in his life (chapters 3-4) before leading up to him joining the Avengers and living with them.
1. Chapter 1 Weres and Secrets

The IronLeopard

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**Reviews and Feedback are welcome, If you spot any mistakes on any of the chapters please point them out and I will sort them out. If anyone has any ideas for what they think would be good in the story or what they would like to see happen that is also welcome.**

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Chapter 1

Tony discovered he was a Were or Mutant when he was 12. He'd been angry at his Dad for hurting his Mother by not spending time with them and he'd had a really bad day at school which didn't help. He'd started shaking and a growl had ripped through his throat as he watched his Dad argue with his Mother. They'd both instantly gone quiet and were staring at him strangely, his Mother looked concerned and his Dad looked shocked and angry. He started to say something to Tony, but whatever it was he never got to finish because at that moment Tony launched himself at his Father as a rather big Leopard not weighing much in comparison to his Father, even as the Leopard, but heavy enough to keep his Father pinned to the floor with a frightened expression on his face.

Tony's shift from human to Leopard had felt strange, he had felt his teeth lengthening and his body stretching as he grew, the effect was instantaneous, but it felt much longer as Tony had suddenly become hyper aware of everything around him, his senses sharpening and strength increasing. He'd heard his mother scream in shock when he'd pounced on his Dad who had fortunately landed on the sofa, which caused him to continue growling at his Father, a menacing look on his face, because he thought his Father had done something to scare her. His instincts were telling him something was wrong as he stared straight into his Father's terrified eyes, trying to determine where the threat was in his face. The Leopard recognised his Father from his Two-leg self, but knew that he didn't like him very much. It wanted to keep the man where he was and revelled in the fact that he was scared of him, yet his Two-leg self kept screaming to get away from him and calm down.

It wasn't until his Mother shifted closer to the Leopard that he looked at her and saw how scared she looked. Her eyes were full of terror and her expression one of shock, she was saying something to him, attempting to calm him down no doubt, but he couldn't hear a thing of what she was saying because he'd realised that the terror in both of his parents' faces was because of him. Slowly and carefully, he climbed off his Father's chest and back onto the floor, suddenly terrified about what his Father would do to him and scared of himself.

He couldn't shift back, in the back of his mind he knew how to do it, but the fear of what his Father would do to him kept him from doing anything but remaining perfectly still as he watched his Mother slowly help his Father into a sitting position to prevent Tony from reacting in a bad way. They had no idea what to do, as parents they hadn't spent much time with their son due to all the work they had to do for the company. It wasn't until Tony had first shifted that they realised something had never been quite right with their son. They secretly called a Were doctor that had once helped save Tony's life after he'd been attacked by a gang when he'd gotten lost one night going home. He explained to them that he'd known almost immediately that Tony was a Were, but hadn't told them because he thought they already knew and that he'd already shifted in front of them and so was surprised to receive their call in the middle of the night.

He then went through the signs of Were's, and what the general signs were for each type of Were. WereCats, depending on which cat species, would be incredibly silent on their feet and eat the main food their Were eats. In Tony's case it was lots of rare meat and little amounts of fruit and Vegetables. Then he went on to sleeping patterns, asking them how Tony slept and what time of day he is usually most active. They answered by telling him that he was usually most active on a night and didn't seem to like early mornings.

The doctor then explained that as an Amur Leopard, Tony would most likely be up late at night because the Leopard is nocturnal and hunts during the night, and likes to be alone, one of the reasons they don't see Tony often when he is at home and explains how he is territorial, which explains why he won't let people into some of his rooms that he likes to go in and work or play he also added that Tony's eyes would reflect light and that they should try and avoid using flashlights around him because the Leopard would go crazy if he was chasing a light around the room and couldn't catch it.

He also explained that there were certain things Tony could and couldn't eat and drink, such as dairy products, he could have some but not a lot otherwise he would be sick and that only certain medicines would work for him. He then later added that he could NOT drink alcohol as it could cause severe problems with his health if he even has a small shot of it. This explained Tony's severe reaction when he accidentally drank alcohol when he was four, because he thought it was his juice, and why it almost killed him and left him sick for over a year.

Later he became Tony's personal doctor and a group of professional Were nurses and surgeons were assigned to him for whenever he got hurt and the doctor, whose name was Doctor Storms, would help Tony to control his phasing and teach him how to hide certain habits, such as the purring that grows in his chest when he's happy and how he should speak as he goes up to someone to let them know he's there. Tony was also taught how to survive and hunt in the wild during his summer holidays when he wasn't at school or working.

After two years of learning how to control the Leopard and how to recognise people as the Leopard, Tony had no problems with any of his usual habits and managed to avoid purring and chirping as much as possible when he was happy (which unfortunately was rather easy as he was rarely happy). The Leopard still didn't trust his father very much who was still very wary of him when he was in Leopard form, but when he was with his mother he would be all out with his purring and chirping and loved curling up on the floor in the sun next to her in the garden.

It was somewhat harder to control his habits at school, the other students thought he was weird or a freak and generally despised him because of who he was and his intellect. His habits sometimes caused problems for him and his parents when he was out in the press, he would occasionally growl at someone who was asking rude or personal questions that were annoying him and his parents would have to come up with something, usually that he had a cold, to cover it up. He'd then get a tongue lashing from his Father mainly because he was afraid of what the press would do to them if they found out Tony was a Were and that it came entirely from his Father's side.

Were's were highly hated and persecuted when Tony was growing up, which caused him to have to hide his secret from everyone. Even his best friend Rhodey who was his first and only friend that was around his age. It became harder to hide as Rhodey became closer to him and he eventually revealed his secret to him when he was 15. Rhodey had been incredibly shocked, but quickly overcame it and relaxed around him which eased Tony's anxiety. He finally had a friend who knew his secret. Obadiah didn't know, he had a stronger hate of Were's than anyone else the Stark's knew so Tony couldn't share his secret with him, he didn't quite trust him enough for that.

The second person to find out about his secret was Virginia "Pepper" Potts, Tony's girlfriend. Tony and Pepper's parents had introduced them, hoping that they would start dating which they did to their delight, and Tony had immediately trusted the redhead in both forms, though Pepper didn't know about his other side yet. It wasn't until they had been dating for a year and Tony had turned 16 that Howard and Maria told him that they'd introduced them in the hope that they'd get married. This had shocked Tony as he was studying at MIT and somehow managing to keep up his relationship with Pepper without any problems from other girls and didn't feel exactly ready to get married yet, especially not at 16.

However, that all changed when Pepper's parents died in a bombing and she was to be sent to her uncle in Australia who refused to allow her to keep her relationship with Tony and the Stark's if she came to live with him. Tony had been furious with him and immediately led Pepper to his room one night, a few days before she was scheduled to go to Australia and sat her on the bed then closed the door. Pepper had immediately felt uncomfortable until Tony explained he just wanted to share something with her, one of his secrets, without interruption.

She'd started getting uncomfortable again when Tony took off his shirt and trousers leaving him only in his underwear and was about to leave when he suddenly shifted and she was staring at a rather large Amur Leopard with blue and green eyes instead of the usual brown. She'd stared at him in shock, unable to move, when he slowly walked up to her and placed his head in her lap and inhaled deeply, commiting her scent to memory, before he looked up at her again, his eyes almost pleading for her to understand.

That caused her to break out of her reverie and she smiled down at him, stroking the fur on his head. He'd started purring deeply in his chest when she suddenly stood up, causing him to jump back in surprise, looking at her quizzically she just smiled and hid behind the otherside of the bed before leaping over the king sized bed and landing quietly next to him as a snow leopard with bright turquoise eyes. They communicated silently in their own tongue for a while before they both gave each other some privacy and changed back into their clothes smiling nervously at each other as they sat quietly on the bed. It was a while before either of them spoke and surprisingly it was Pepper who broke the silence.

"I found out when I was 13. I'd had a bad day and I was tired. My parents were arguing about something ridiculous and I just lost it. Scared the life out of both of them. We went to see a Were doctor and he explained what happened and that this does usually happen at the age I was and is usually caused by an argument. He started teaching me how to hide and control some of my habits, I finally finished my classes with him when my parents died." Tony stared at her in surprise but with deep understanding and sympathy in his eyes. She fiddled with her hands, twisting them in her lap, the way she always does when she's feeling nervous or shy. I take her hand and hold it firmly in mine bringing her eyes back to mine.

"I found out when I was 12. I... attacked my Dad." I whisper that part still ashamed of the memory and I feel Pepper squeeze my hand in comfort and I manage to continue. "Freaked out both of my parents. It took Dr. Storms to get me shift back to human form, and it was around 2am by that point. Dad's still scared of the Leopard and wary of me, but it comes from his side of the family so he can't blame it on my Mum." She looks at me for a while, chewing lightly on her tongue as she tries to decide what to say. I wait patiently for her to speak, though I already know what she is going to say.

"You didn't just show me that for no reason did you? Why did you do it Tony? What is it you want to ask me?" I look down at our hands, afraid of speaking my thoughts. I can feel my heart beginning to race as I try to think of how to tell her why.

"I... I can't do it. I can't have you leave. I wouldn't be able to... handle it. The Leopard side of me really wants to have a go at your Uncle, but I know that won't do any good. Gosh, I need to just say it before I start babbling again." I pause and take a deep breath afraid and trying to avoid looking at her face, afraid of what I might see. "Dad... told me that we were introduced to each other because they wanted us to get married." I quickly glance at her face which is full of surprise and shock, then understanding shines through her eyes.

"You... you showed me the Leopard because you... want to marry me?" I nod my head, quickly glancing away and swallowing before I voice the rest of my thoughts.

"I know we're still young, definitely not the best age to get married at, but I can't lose you. I want to stay with you, but I can't if you move away. I... I love you Pepper, and if marrying you, especially at this age, is the only way I can stay with you then I'll do it, but only if you want that as well." I stop there, afraid of saying anything else. I feel a strong squeeze on my hand and I look up to see her smiling at me, her eyes moist with tears threatening to break through. She swallows and takes a deep breath before speaking.

"Are you proposing then?" And with those words I realise that she's been waiting for this, waiting for me to propose so that we can stay together. With that in the front of my mind, I stand up and pull her up with me before I kneel down on one knee and bring out a ring from my pocket.

"Virginia Pepper Potts, will you marry me?" She lets the tears fall and has to take a few deep breaths before she can answer.

"Yes, I will. I love you Tony." I stand up and carefully slide the ring onto her left ring finger, then put my arms around her and kiss her gently on the lips. We were both content to just stay in that kiss for a while but unfortunately we were interrupted.

"FINALLY!" We both jump apart and turn to the now open door where my parents are standing in the doorway, my Mother excited and my Dad has the biggest grin I have ever seen on his face.

"Whoa what! Were you guys listening?!" My Mother now looks guilty but my Father just grins wider and I can feel my face go red from embarrassment and I can see Pepper's doing the same from the corner of my eye. I sigh at their unspoken answer before I lead Pepper out of the room and into the living room where the sunset is shining through the over-large windows. I collapse onto the sofa a hand on my face as I try to comprehend everything that they would have heard. Pepper sits next to me and rests her head above my heart which seems to calm it somewhat. I feel her and my parents smiling at my position. I move my hand and look directly at my Dad who seems to be grinning even wider, no shame in what he'd done. We have a silent conversation before going poker and asking the intimate questions.

_**How did you know I was going to propose?**_

_**I didn't. **_I look at him, my poker face revealing nothing, not even my eyes, but he can sense my surprise and I wait for his answer.

**_I hoped you were going to, because who else is there who's like Pepper? There isn't anyone else for you Tony and you know that. Besides she's the only girl you've brought that I've approved of. Plus we already have written permission from her parents for you to get married, they gave it to us the week before they died. _**

"WHAT?!" I hadn't realised I'd said that out loud until my Mother and Pepper turn to stare at us, ending their conversation on whatever they were talking about. My Dad's looking sheepish and I guess he hadn't meant to bring that part up yet. My Mother glances at my shocked expression then my Dad's sheepish one and puts two and two together and sighs at my Dad for his slip up. Pepper looks at me, trying to find out what caused my reaction, so I tell her. She stares at my parents in shock and I look to my Mother for an explanation as I know Dad won't. She sighs and turns to face both of us, straightening her skirt, clearly trying to think of how to explain.

"When your parents, Pepper, discovered that you were a Were they also discovered that Tony was one as well. You both have the same doctor, and they ran into us as we were leaving a meeting with Dr. Storms about how to help Tony when he's in public. They immediately guessed that Tony was a Were and we discovered that both of you were almost the same. We thought that if you met it might help you both to practice. So we introduced you." She pauses looking at both of us in the eye when she continues. "When you started dating, we all hoped that you might get married. We could see you getting closer and you trusted each other. Before your parents left for Germany Pepper, we discussed your relationship. Jonathan hoped that you Tony, would propose to Pepper soon due to how things were going between you, so in case you did and they weren't there to give their consent they wrote it and gave it to us for proof with their signatures and their lawyers' just in case." I stare at her in shock, my mind taking far too long to comprehend what she'd just said and I could see that Pepper was having a harder time than I was. Finally I can't stand the silence any longer and I stand up, not entirely sure where I'm going to go.

"I... need to think." Was all I was able to say before I ran out of the room trying not to shift before I could take off my clothes. Unfortunately I'm not that lucky and barely made it to the end of the hall before the Leopard came out in a loud roar, trying to figure out what I'm doing.

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Vanilla-sunshine-gold. That was Pepper's scent I didn't need Two-legged me to provide that information, I knew it was her immediately. Coffee, smoke, and dust, that was my Father, I didn't want to see him. Lavender, blueberry, and light, that was my Mother. I didn't want to see her either. I just wanted to stay in my tree in it's overlong branches, hidden in the leaves. I just wanted to be alone with Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold. That's what I call her when I'm like this. Dad's Coffee-Smoke-Dust, he wasn't too happy when I told him that, I found it hilarious though. I'm pretty sure Mum liked hers though. Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold is laying next to me, warm and beautiful where the light shines on her fur.

I found it strange that when she shifted her ring didn't break, but became a part of her fur. If you look at her left paw you can see a line of silver and white almost glowing in the light, matching her fur easily so that it's invisible for someone who isn't looking for it. I could sense Coffee-Smoke-Dust beneath me with Lavender-Blueberry-Light, I know that they're not going to harm me, but I'm still tense as I sense someone else with them, someone Two-Legged me doesn't even recognise.

The scent is Blood, death, and dark. I don't like this scent and I can sense Vanila-Sunshine-Gold tense as she picks up on the scent as well. I carefully climb onto my paws and move to the edge of the branch and peer down to see a black bald headed man with an eye-patch and long black trench coat. He has a severe poker face, not quite as good as Coffee-Smoke-Dust's, but still a very good one. His presence here breathes threats all over the place and I immediately don't trust him, and I have to force my growl back down my throat. No one else is with him but I sense that there are people watching everything going on here. He's talking to my parents and Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold and I creep closer to hear everything that's being said.

"-you need to understand that we need to do this for the agency's sake. We need your help Howard. We have a lead on where the Captain's whereabouts might be. It would change everything if we found him, you just-" My Father interrupts him.

"I'm done with the search Nick. I have a son to look after and you know we've never really gotten along. I'm not going on another expedition, not now. If you're really that desperate then I'll try in a few weeks but not now. Tony's only here for another five days and I'm not just about to disappear." My Dad deadpans him there, it's the first time I've ever heard him talk about me like, almost as if I actually mean something to him, that maybe I'm not a failure.

"If we wait until your son leaves it'll be too late-" This time my Mother interrupts him.

"He's spent enough time with you Fury! I'm not going to allow him to go and you're not going to make him otherwise I'll make sure the funds we are giving you are taken away and we'll take away everything we gave you away from you! And Howard if you do leave I will make sure you face my judgement when you get back!" It's rare for me to see my Mother that angry, and usually it's only when me and Dad are fighting. I see both men shrink back at my Mother's words and I can't help but smile, which feels very strange since Leopards don't really smile, but it's better than purring and giving us away.

"Stark if you don't come you're going to regret it. Plus I can always reveal something to your son that you don't want him to know." I have real difficulty holding back a growl and I can sense Vanila-Sunshine-Gold trying hold back her own. Blackmail. It's the one thing I hate more than the press. But I'm also wondering, what is my Dad hiding from me?

"You wouldn't." My Dad's voice is low and angry, more angry than I've ever heard him, and I've gotten him angry plenty of times.

"Don't be so sure Howard, just come with us, I'm sure Tony is used to you disappearing by now." Two men are now behind him both bearing weapons. I know what they're about to do before they even do it. "Shall we?" Blood-Death-Dark spoke without emotion his expression stern, but with something like pleading in his eyes, almost impossible to see. The men behind him take out their weapons not directly pointing them at my parents, but close enough that it causes me to launch myself off of the branch with a loud roar ripping from my throat. The men all jump back in shock, including Blood-Death-Dark, and I feel my fur go on end and my body language change into a more threatening position as I continue to roar at them, fear fresh on everyone's faces aside from my parents who just look shocked since they didn't know I was here. I hear Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold land next to me also growling, protecting my mother whilst I protect my Father, her body language matching my own.

"What is this Stark?" Blood-Death-Dark manages to get out whilst trying to regain his composure, and I can hear the smile in my Dad's voice who is undoubtedly smirking at them all.

"These are my Leopards. I created them in the lab one day very real, and very life like, they also grow, they are not yet full size, I don't think they'll stop growing for another nine or ten years." My Father's lie almost had me believing him. Though I know it would take my Dad years to figure out how to actually make something like that. After a few more threats from my Father to Blood-Death-Dark, he disappears along with the men and Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold and I walk back with my parents to the house or mansion depending on how you see it. I go to my room and shift back and grab some fresh clothes as the ones I was previously wearing had been shredded when I shifted. When I get back to the living room I find my parents sat down on the cream sofa, darkness now filling the room except for a few lamps being left on, with Pepper sitting opposite them in a long white dressing gown and I realise that the clothes she'd been wearing before were the only ones she had with her. I'm about to speak when Pepper interrupts, answering my concerns.

"Don't worry, my clothes and belongings are being sent over." I relax somewhat at that and sit next to her before turning to my Father, but again I'm interrupted.

"That was Nick Fury, Director of S.H.I.E.L.D. He's an old friend of mine, but can be very irritating at times, he won't be bothering us again for quite a while." I stare at him, not saying anything, waiting for him to answer my actual question. After a while he sighs and turns to my Mother. "Maria?" She nods in response and comes over to me and Pepper who stands immediately and let's her take her to the kitchen discussing what food to make. I look back at my Dad once Pepper and my Mother were out of sight. He's looking down at his trousers, his hands folded in his lap. I continue to stare at him, forcing him to look up at me and I'm surprised when I see tears in his eyes. He attempts to speak but no words come out. He clears his throat and tries again but to no avail. I stand up and walk over to him, placing a hand on his shoulder that he holds. I sit down next to him, forcing him to turn towards me, his tears now falling freely. He takes a deep breath before speaking and his words freeze me in place.

"You're dying Tony, your heart is failing and you'll be dead by the time you're 20."


	2. Chapter 2 Truth and Timelines

Chapter 2 Truth and Timelines

I don't know what happened after that. The last thing I can remember is my breathing speeding up and my vision going black in a matter of seconds, but before I passed out, I think I heard my Dad shouting. Then everything went black. When I woke up I was lying in my bed, it was well past sunset and the only light in the room was from a lamp next to me. Dad was laying at the bottom of the bed, his head by my feet snoring quietly. My Mother was next to him, her head reaching my thigh.

I looked around for Pepper and found I couldn't see her anywhere. My heart rate started racing in my sudden panic until I felt a familiar soft hand on my face. I turn abruptly to see her, almost giving myself whiplash, lying next to me in a blue T-Shirt and navy jeans. Her face is a few inches away above mine, her left hand resting on my cheek. Just seeing her causes my heart to slow back down and I feel my body relax and the Leopard quiets down and stops the shift. I feel a purr begin to rip through my chest and I don't stop it, and I close my eyes and hold Pepper's hand to my face breathing in her familiar scent.

Another purr enters the room and I open my eyes to see Pepper holding my other hand to her face, I don't even remember her touching it, a content expression on her face. She opens her eyes and smiles and both our purring becomes louder. Her purring is quieter compared to mine, slightly higher as is expected of a female, but also there's less vibration. Before I can ask about what happened I feel the bed jolt as my Father jumps up with a scream, causing us both to jump and wake up my Mother in the process.

They both stare at us and we stare back unsure of what just happened. My Father breathing deeply and in a panic state that I've never seen him in before. I looked at Mum who immediately put her arms around him and started speaking to him in rapid fire, Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese. I know that sounds crazy, but that's just how we speak when we're at home. Dad came up with the idea of talking in all three of the languages at the same time as a type of code so no one would be able to spy on him and Mum.

He did that before I was born so I grew up with it, I started teaching Pepper a few months after we met and started dating, she's managed to get the hang of it, but still struggles on when to switch to Portuguese from Italian as the structures between all three are rather different. I'm not entirely sure what Dad was dreaming about, but I do have a few good ideas and none of them exactly pleasant. After a few more minutes (meaning about 10-20) Dad finally calms down and rests his heads against my other's chest, suddenly looking 20 years older than he is (and he's 74). He looks tired and I don't mean physically, but emotionally he looks just exhausted. Something I've never seen on my Father, and I'm not sure if that is good or not.

"Dad...?" I'm not entirely what to say, but everything I'm feeling managed to come out through that one word. All my worry and shock and fear rippling through it. He looks up at me and sighs quietly before he stands up and moves closer to me sitting beside my legs. My Mother moves closer to me resting a hand on my leg, silent comfort that only causes me to become more panicked. Pepper, obviously sensing my panic, moves closer to me and puts her hand in mine which thankfully slows my heart. I take a deep breath and ask my questions, thankfully this time I'm not interrupted. "What did you mean... What is it that's killing me and why would it kill me at 20?" Pepper surprisingly isn't surprised at my words, and I suspect they already told her, because she's looking at me with sadness on her face. I look back at Dad who looks so sad that I almost start crying, suddenly afraid of the answers.

"When you were born, Tony... Your heart was weak, you were born dead. The doctor's did everything they could to start your heart again but there was nothing they could do. Your older brother Arno had died the same way just a year before you were born. I couldn't bear to have you share the same fate as him, your Mother wouldn't be able to handle another birth." He paused letting that sink in, giving me some time to breathe again before I nodded to him for him to continue.

"I'd been trying to recreate the super soldier serum for S.H.I.E.L.D at the time. At the time it wasn't working, but I was determined not to lose you. I spent three days creating the serum before I injected it into your dead body. It took some time for the serum to take effect, but when you breathed for the first time I felt pure happiness for the first time in years. The doctor's took you into another room to take care of you, and for a while everything was alright. It wasn't until you were a few weeks old that I discovered that the serum would only be able to keep you alive for a few years at a time, so whenever you became sick with a severe fever that could kill you, I would inject you with the serum. But now your body has adapted to it and I can't make a stronger serum. Your body is immune to it now. That's why we hoped you would marry Pepper, so that both of you could have some happiness before things go downhill."

I don't know what to say to that. I'm shocked that my life has been on the line since before I took my first breath. I take a few deep breaths to steady my heart again before asking what will happen when the serum starts to wear off before I die. At his answer I almost blackout again and it's only thanks to Pepper squeezing my hand so much that it hurts that I manage to remain conscious.

"You're going to be injured more easily and prone to heart-attacks or strokes and they can happen at any point but only if your heart rate accelerates at an incomprehensible speed. I don't know when they'll start, but as soon as you and Pepper get married I am going to be tightening your security at school." After almost blacking out again my Mother goes to the kitchen and brings me a glass of water and a tray of food, and that causes me to think, **_How long was I out for?_**

When I ask I have to fight to stop myself from passing out again and I can't understand why until my Father's face goes pale and he mutters "It's starting" and Pepper ends up spending 15 minutes calming me down so that I don't have a heart-attack. I'd been out for 5 hours which is why Pepper found out about my problem before I did because she was on the verge of a break down due to the grief she was still going through with her parents' death and worry over meas. After I finally manage to eat and drink my water without passing out I lay back against the pillows and close my eyes, trying to accept what I'd just been told. I know I won't be able to accept it for a while, but I want to at least work at it before so that it will be easier.

I'd almost forgotten Pepper and my parents were in the room as me until I felt something warm against my cheek and I jump in surprise and start to growl until I see Pepper and my expression turns from aggressive to sheepish almost instantly. Pepper smiles at my expression and strokes my black and brown hair, causing me to start purring again, but more quietly than before as I'd realised that's what had caused my Dad to wake up in a panic, our purring had reminded him of the tanks and engines in the war. My Dad seemed to realise what I was doing and smiled at me, a small smile but one that left my heart glowing in my chest. It seemed to me, that despite everything I'd learned and what could happen to me, that everything would be better somehow and I couldn't wait to get married.


	3. Chapter 3 Recounts of Events

Chapter 3 Recounts of Events

The day after I discovered I was dying Pepper and I got married. It wasn't an expensive wedding or extravagant, but really just simple and that's exactly what we wanted. Rhodey was my best man and one of Pepper's friends was her bridesmaid, but I honestly can't remember who she was because I was so nervous. We didn't go anywhere special for our honeymoon because I was going back to college in a few days and Pepper had her exam for getting into Harvard to prepare for. Even so, it was still a good honeymoon.

Later on, Pepper and I discovered we were expecting a baby which was something I had been expecting and no one else had, which was rather strange. It didn't really help that we were both knee deep in studies and I had several exams coming up. We were both rather worried about what might happen, Pepper started going to private tutors for her subjects and at her own time since she was heavily pregnant and struggling to keep up with some of her classes and I ended up studying a lot harder to make sure I'd at least be able to have a decent education for a job and support and look after her as the pregnancy became harder.

Things began to get easier, especially when my parents started helping Pepper with her studies since I couldn't visit her very often, and we were starting to feel more excitement as the due date came closer and my parents offered to help look after the baby when it was born. However things changed when Pepper went into labour on February 2nd 1991. We hadn't been able to get a scan of the baby because it never stayed still, so it came as a surprise to us when we suddenly found ourselves with twins, a boy and a girl.

And let's just say things became a lot more complicated than they needed to be.

After a lot of discussion *cough, arguing, cough* we eventually came to the conclusion that both of us would after one baby each whilst we're studying and then swap over every six months until we'd both finished studying.

This was definitely difficult for me since I was studying engineering and a lot of other hands-on subjects with very few non-practical subjects so I ended up hiring a nanny or having one of my parents look after TJ for me. TJ is the older twin by three seconds-and don't ask me how that happened I have no idea-and his name is actually Anthony Edward Stark Junior, but we thought it would become rather confusing if he grew up being called Tony or Anthony when that's what Pepper, Rhodey, and my parents generally call me, so I came up with the idea of calling him TJ.

His sister's name is Maria Aliza Stark, after both of our mother's, that made both my Mum and Pepper cry when I suggested calling her after our mothers. I was actually praised by Dad for the idea (which was a nice surprise). TJ was generally a quiet baby and thankfully managed to get used to the noises coming from my workspace, though I kept him as far away from it as possible to ensure safety and prevent him from becoming deaf at an early age, because hey, it can happen. He was easy to look after and the quiet was peaceful, except for when I came home, he'd be practically crying every time I came home from school and wouldn't calm down until I'd pick him up.

Pepper and I tried to see each other as often as we could, although that wasn't always possible. Whenever it was a weekend and we were both free of work we'd take the babies to my parents who'd babysit for us whilst we had a date night. We really didn't want to break up due to not seeing each other, especially not this early into our marriage. Rhodey would sometimes babysit for me as well when we were at MIT and I had too much work to do, I'd tried paying him for it but he refused and so I paid him back by helping him with some of his studies which was rather interesting to do when there was two of us trying to look after a three month old baby.

At some points in our study/babysitting nights, when the usual babysitter was unavailable, we would be just too exhausted from lack of sleep for our own good, because we'd always wake up the next day on the floor with TJ rolling around on my chest whilst trying to eat our work and then discover we were late for class by about two-three hours. I'd later have to spend 20-30 minutes explaining to our teachers that we'd been working all night and had suddenly ended up with a babysitting job for a friend whilst they went to the hospital for an emergency operation that we'd taken them to. It was a good explanation and not all of it was a lie, plus if our exhaustion and TJ climbing all over me didn't provide enough evidence I could always bribe someone to cover for us. This excuse worked for a while until it started happening more frequently and I'd always have to adjust what was going on with the 'friend' since I always had the same baby each time.

Fortunately, nothing was ever said about this to the press and I had a feeling that was my Dad's doing (though some of my colleagues began to think I was a playboy and that I just got Rhodey to look after the baby for me because the mother 'didn't want him') and things were starting to get more exhausting when, on my 17th birthday, my parents introduced me to my new brother Clint Francis Barton-Stark who was about 12 and then Pepper told me that she was pregnant again.

This was all extremely overwhelming for me and I ended up passing out three times-once when I met Clint and he seemed completely shocked that I'd fainted when I woke up, and then twice when Pepper told me she was pregnant. It took me a few minutes to accept both of these things, and Pepper-somehow thinking I'd recovered-told me that it was twins again. So, I don't really remember much of that day since I passed out multiple times later on as well and they weren't generally due to surprises.

During the two weeks we stayed at home with my parents and new brother, and I spent most of my time with the babies since they were twins-they are nightmares-and Pepper needed a break due to the pregnancy. Clint was rather quiet and looked quite out of place when I was with them, clearly unsure of what to do. I didn't really know what to do with him, my parents were generally out and so I ended up letting Clint come and play with me and TJ and Maria and then explained my marriage to Pepper to him after he asked.

I hadn't been quite sure what I thought of Clint until I saw him interacting with TJ and Maria so well and getting along with Pepper and Rhodey. I taught him how to cook (and yes I can cook, and very well thank you very much) and played some games with him as often as I could. I quite liked him and we got along really well, playing pranks on Dad our favourite one being the time we replaced all of Dad's liquor with cooking oil, his face was priceless and we had everyone in stitches including him, and so I decided to shift into the Leopard in front of him with Pepper on standby and the twins in their cot.

To say he was shocked is an understatement, he was practically terrified of me and hid behind Pepper until she managed to calm him down and explain what I was and that I wasn't going to hurt him. I'd gone up to him then and let him stroke me whilst I purred and he soon forgot his fear. Later, when I'd shifted back, Pepper told him she was a Were too, but resisted shifting since we didn't know what it would do to the babies inside of her. After that, Pepper and I returned to school, deciding to switch babies a few months earlier so they'd recognise both of us, and thought of nothing but 'how am I going to study and look after the baby, and see my wife/husband and brother/in-law?'.

That was when I remembered my 'death sentence' and I only remembered it after I had my stroke.

I'd been sat in class writing notes and keeping an eye on TJ, who was playing with some toys at my feet, when I suddenly started having trouble with my senses, everything seemed to be blurring together, I couldn't see or hear what the professor was asking me to do. I couldn't tell what was going on until the whole left side of my body went numb and my voice disappeared from my throat. As I fell off my chair onto the floor I remember hearing a long high pitched noise before darkness took me.

* * *

I woke up in a hospital bed with a heart monitor beeping and IVs stuck into my skin. Pepper and Rhodey were sitting on either side of the bed fast asleep, my parents at the bottom and the babies in a cot sleeping next to the bed. Clint was the only one awake in the room. He'd stayed up all night watching over me, making sure I was okay. When he realised I was awake he got up immediately and asked me if I was okay. I tried to speak, but my voice box almost felt... empty and I couldn't seem to remember what words to use. I tried several times to reply before Clint, realising the problem, woke everyone up and sent Dad to go get a nurse.

I don't remember much of what was done when they tried to figure out what the problem was, but they eventually came to the conclusion that I had a case of receptive aphasia and a rather strong case of speech dyspraxia. The receptive aphasia was discovered when they asked me to write something down and asked me to read it out after I got my voice back. I knew what I'd written and could read it in my head, but when I tried to read it out loud the words seemed to swirl together and I couldn't read it, and when someone else wrote something down I had no idea what it said. The speech dyspraxia left me unable to pronounce words clearly, although sometimes it was completely fine, and I got frustrated when I kept trying to pronounce 'babies' and couldn't and ended up groaning in frustration-when I could that was, at some points I couldn't speak at all which sent me into a panic for a full 10 minutes. I don't remember what the doctors' said had caused the stroke as I was quite healthy with a lot of muscle (due to being a Leopard and having to lift heavy machinery on an almost daily basis) and didn't appear to have had any blood clots in my brain or artery ruptures. In their analysis it seemed to just come out of nowhere and that my recovery could take decades.

I'd stopped listening after that, my Father and I sharing a glance as we all knew what had caused it (Clint had been told about my birth prior to me waking up) and tried not to get depressed as I thought of what the press would do to me if they found out-they were told I'd passed out from exhaustion, which had happened a few times before-and what could I do about a cure? I couldn't think of anything to help myself with, but I had exams and projects to work on and so for the next few months I remained undepressed except quieter due to my stroke until the second set of twins were born and my parents died a few weeks later in a car crash.

I'd been happy when the second set of twins was born, some of my mild depression had gone and Clint was making me laugh even if I couldn't fully vocalise it. They were boys this time who were born on December 6th 1991 and we called them Howard Walter Stark and Daniel John Stark after our fathers this time (Pepper's Dad's name was actually Daniel but went by his middle name John) and we decided to worry about what we'd do for careers and maybe any further study after Christmas was over-I'd recently graduated from MIT and Pepper had amazingly managed to complete all of her studies and graduated just a few weeks after I did.

That was when Dad told Clint and I that they'd be leaving on the 16th with a delivery for SHIELD. I'd growled loudly when they mentioned SHIELD, I still hadn't forgiven them for threatening my Dad, and we'd all been surprised that the Leopard hadn't been affected by the stroke I'd had when I accidentally shifted when SHIELD was mentioned thinking they were here again. Dad had managed to calm me down and I was upset that I couldn't spend more time with him before he left due to more appointments at the Hospital for the babies and for checkups with Dr. Storms who'd been told about my condition as soon as I'd had the stroke.

I'd said goodbye to Dad who told me that the delivery was another super soldier serum. He knew it wasn't safe to get back into that sort of business, but he was hoping that if he found one that worked he could heal me. I hadn't wanted him to get into it, but he was stubborn and wouldn't cave in so I'd said goodbye with a long hug, hoping that they'd have a safe journey to the airport and gave them their Christmas presents early which they'd unwrapped so I could see their reactions.

I'd made Dad a watch that could be used as a timer and alarm clock and also had a mini AI I'd created to remind him of a deadline or to keep calm when the press was annoying him. We'd all had a good long laugh at that before Mum opened her present which was a metal rose that I'd made at a blacksmith's as I knew she admired their workmanship. Then I opened my present that they'd given me, it was a memorial bracelet that held a single white blue gem I'd found on a beach when I was 3, I felt tears well up in my eyes before I hugged them for the longest time. Then I'd received a long hug and a kiss on the cheek from both-well Dad didn't kiss me, that would've been weird-and then watched them leave after sincerely expressing that I loved them.

It was later that night when I was sleeping that there was a loud knock on the door that somehow managed to wake everyone up including the four babies. I'd gone to the front door carrying Maria and wearing only a pair of black shorts and an MIT shirt with Clint and Pepper behind me, both in pyjamas similar to mine, holding the other babies. I'd been surprised to see a few police cars and officers standing outside. The two at the door were also surprised at seeing me carrying a ten and a half month old baby.

It took me asking what the problem was, as there's always a problem when there's police at the Stark Mansion, to knock them out of their reverie. They had only begun saying that there was an accident on a road before I came to the conclusion that my parents dead and said it aloud. They seemed shocked that I'd come to the conclusion so fast but confirmed my statement. That was the last thing heard before all of my hopes of spending more time with my parents after they got back came crashing back down on me in an overwhelming depression and I almost fell to the floor when I passed out. I say almost because one of the police officers saw me going faint and caught onto me whilst the other grabbed Maria as I passed out.

I don't know how long I was out for, but when I woke up everything was brighter and I was laid on a couch in the living room. The officers who I had been talking to outside and the ones in the car were all in the room, either talking to Pepper, Clint, and Rhodey-who had arrived earlier-or keeping an eye on everything going on in the room. Clint had clearly been crying, but was managing to control it somewhat as he tried to get Daniel to go back to sleep and Pepper was still crying as an officer spoke to her about who knows what. It took them a while to realise I was awake and I was actually rather glad as it allowed me to think over what had happened.

As soon as they realised, however, they sent officers over to me who started telling me what had happened to my parents which only made me pass out again though for not as long. This time I woke up with Dr. Storms listening to my heart through a stethoscope, Rhodey had called him in panic, as my condition hadn't been great the past few weeks, thinking I was having another heart-attack or stroke. I'd recently had another minor stroke and a minor heart-attack with no lasting damage save another five years delay in voice recovery.

After he'd listened to my heart for a few beats longer and determined I had passed out from shock the officers seemed to silently agree to take things slower with me. They told me that the board had directed Obadiah Stane to take over the company until I decided I was ready to take over and that he'd arrive in a few minutes. I simply nodded as my voice had gone again and I silently asked Pepper why the officers were still here. She came over to me and placed TJ in my arms and I held him close as she explained they were here to protect me and keep an eye on us as we were supposed to go into the city and consult with the Board and Obadiah and that they were to escort me and push back the press when they arrived.

One of the officers had looked at me strangely then, as though to say 'does he seriously think he's so high and mighty that he can't talk to us?' causing me to glare angrily at him and I could feel a growl building in my chest as I realised some of the other officers were expressing the same thing. Dr. Storms, clearly sensing my sudden change in attitude towards the officers, quickly had Pepper, Rhodey, and Clint take me to my room using the excuse of me needing to get ready and compose myself so that the officers wouldn't follow us.

Instead of taking me to my room, though, they took me to the Leopard's room where they let me literally rip out of my clothes-taking TJ out of my arms first though-and shift roaring in anger and grief before they take the babies out of the room. I don't know how long I was in there for when Dr. Storms comes in, but it's long enough that I've destroyed the little furniture that had been in the room and foam animals. When he comes in I immediately go to him, rubbing my head against his waist whilst still crying. He shifts and I recognise his scent which fits his name. Soft-Cream-Puff, who thankfully doesn't smell like the Hospital. He's bigger than I was since he's older and is a black panther. He sits down and I curl in on myself close to his chest as he cleans my fur with his tongue and eases my grief somewhat, that in itself allows me to calm down enough to shift back when Pepper comes in with some fresh clothes for me to put on as I wasn't wearing anything due to my clothes ripping when I shifted. I found it difficult to go back into the room where Obadiah was waiting for me along with the officers to escort me into the city to discuss what will happen with the company, but I forced myself to do it.

After some debate, they agreed to allow me to take over the company when I turned 18, which was rather complicated at first since I have a three day birthday since I was born on May 26 but took my first breath on May 29-Dad decided I should have a three day birthday because of that, though Obadiah doesn't know. But since it isn't publicly known when my date of birth was although they know that it's towards the end of May, they just tell me to come in when I hit 18. I do as they tell me and when I'm 18 I go in and sign the papers that allows me to fully take over the company.

I continue making weapons and allow my grief and knowledge of my seemingly inevitable death to take over most of my actions. Pepper and Rhodey try to help me through it, but I still struggled and started to close into myself and stopped shifting as often, but I still helped Pepper look after the two sets of twins as she had become my PA for the company as I kept annoying all the others to death and caused them to quit. Our marriage is still unknown and my depression is hidden from the public with ease with Pepper's help. Towards the end of the year I managed to get rid of my depression somewhat but became hardened and very narcissistic and it wasn't until my weapons demonstration in Afghanistan that I truly changed for the better

* * *

**Thanks for the reviews, I didn't realise I made a mistake on Tony's birthday but thanks for the review. Sorry I have written anything in a while, I am currently doing two internals for Biology and Science which are taking up a lot of my time as well as writing other Avengers Fanfics that haven't yet been posted.**


	4. Chapter 4 Actions and Consequences

Chapter 4 Actions and Consequences

It's hard for me to remember Afghanistan as even just thinking about the bomb can set off my PTSD. I remember waking up in that cave not being able to figure out where I was and panicking when I realised that I wasn't at home with Pepper or Clint. I'd then noticed Yinsen and discovered the electromagnet in my chest. It'd taken me a while to accept what Yinsen told me and try not to remember the surgery. I could still feel the pain in my ribs and sternum where they were removed.

My heart had been in agony and I could barely sit up on the cot let alone stand up when the guards came in. I was still weary from the drugs that they'd knocked me out with and the stroke I had almost prevented me from speaking when I refused to make the Jericho missile. The pain that was in my lungs and chest as I was almost drowned and electrocuted to death had been excruciating. It hadn't helped that the electromagnet rested almost on top of my lungs, so that when they did bring me up for air I couldn't expand my lungs far enough for a decent breath.

Later, after they'd shown me the weapons they had and Yinsen and given me quite the pep talk, I started building the first miniaturised Arc Reactor hoping that it could cure me and prevent me from dying, even if it did stop the shrapnel from going into my heart, I still had to cure myself of my 'death sentence' as I called it, to prevent me from dying anyway. If it didn't heal me then that would kill me instead of the shrapnel and I couldn't leave my family in the mess it was in before I left, I had to make things right.

* * *

A few months after my parents had died and my depression and narcissism had increased I'd had a strong argument with Clint, I can't remember what I said to him or to Pepper as she tried to calm me down, but he ended up leaving the house and running away. When I'd woken up the next day I couldn't remember the argument I'd had with Clint or anything that had happened the day before.

When I asked Pepper where Clint was and she quite angrily told me what had happened I almost had another heart-attack and I'd already had three that month. I told Pepper that I couldn't remember anything from the day before, I couldn't even remember going to sleep the day before that when Obie was there. She didn't believe me at first until she started questioning me on things that had happened and discovered that I hadn't been lying. We both immediately consulted JARVIS who told us he'd been shut down before I lost my memory and that someone had used a device to control me due to the data he received from his scans. That left me panicked and I immediately took Pepper and the babies to a new home I'd recently built in Malibu to make sure they'd be safe before I went out looking for my brother, hoping to tell him what had happened but I never found him.

* * *

The memory of this fuelled me with enough desperation that allowed me to finish the Arc Reactor and not give into my depression. With my determination for escape and to fix what I'd done wrong increased I started building the first Iron Man suit with Yinsen who I became very close friends with as we built the suit. He taught me some of his language that I quickly became fluent in, even with my vocal problems after my stroke, and eventually told him in his language everything that had happened in my life.

I told him about how I found out I was Were then how I got married and studied at MIT whilst having children with Pepper and my relationship with my brother and the fall out that happened between us. I'd felt an immense load taken off of my shoulders after talking to him about it and he offered me comfort in just listening that I felt all of my Narcissism disappear and I began to feel more like my old self. Then there was the escape and Yinsen's death.

I completely destroyed the base the terrorists had kept me in through my anger, grief, and pain for everything that had happened to me before the cave, in it, and then after. When the suit failed and left me stranded in the desert I'd almost immediately shifted into the Leopard to help me get back to the US base. With my heightened senses I heard the helicopters coming up behind me and immediately shifted back so that I could claim their attention. It wasn't long after that that I got home with Rhodey helping me off the plane where I saw Pepper-heavily pregnant with twins again-watching us come down, tears staining her cheeks. I made a b-line for her, ignoring the medical that was there and wrapped my good arm around her as we both cried onto each other.

Then of course I shut down the weapons manufacturing and laid low before Obie, the one I'd trusted almost as much as my Father, told me that he'd been controlling me when I'd had the argument with Clint and paid the Ten Rings to assassinate me in Afghanistan before he literally took out my heart and left me to die. I'd trusted him only to have that trust betrayed, and I was only 19. Then of course there was the battle between Iron Man and the Iron Monger which ended with both of us dead (though somehow I survived again, apparently I can't even be killed by myself) then I found myself in hospital with Pepper as she gave birth to our third set of twins, another boy and girl, who we named Yinsen and Miracle-I wanted to make a tribute to Yinsen in some way and that was the easiest way I could do it.

The day after led to Coulson giving me the cards to read to the press (he knew about my marriage to Pepper and our children since he was there when she went into labour, but swore not to tell anyone including Fury) but instead ended up with me announcing to the press and the world that 'I am Iron Man'. It was clear to me that people thought I was doing it for attention and fame-as if didn't have that already-or to get more women to sleep with me-the press still thinks I'm a playboy due to always having a baby with me when I was studying at MIT, they seemed to think I was sleeping around and I couldn't seem to persuade them that I was just babysitting and technically I was. But I wasn't doing it for the attention at all, I knew if my identity as Iron Man was kept a secret that would just cause Pepper to be even more frightened about my well being than she was (she's not worried about it now because the Arc Reactor did heal me) and I also hoped that it might draw Clint back home so I could talk to him, but he never did.

When I came home, Pepper was still in the hospital and some friends had offered to look after the other twins so I was alone, I immediately recognised the scent Blood-Death-Dark and I had to grit my teeth to stop myself from growling when I saw him. I hadn't seen him since the first time and I wasn't sure what to think about him since he appeared to have a different attitude towards me.

I hadn't thought that getting involved with SHIELD again would lead to me hiring a spy (who I seriously wanted to throw off the cliff when I found out who exactly she was) whilst dying and making Pepper CEO of Stark Industries leaving me with 'babysitting' on a much higher level, then arranging for Rhodey to steal my suit after acting drunk-seriously when you get invited to parties all the time and don't drink alcohol people look at you weird, so I perfected acting drunk since I can't drink-which still hurt that he would still do it, trashing my home, fortunately the babies were being looked after by Pepper's cousin for the night, and then rediscovering an element for my Arc Reactor that ended up saving my life.

Then I beat the life out of Vanko and Hammer then got scolded by Pepper and Rhodey for three hours straight about not telling them I was dying. It took me a while to trust Rhodey again after what he did and to forgive him, even though I did set up the fight and him stealing the suit. Then I was taken-literally-to a meeting with Fury about the Avengers Initiative in which I wasn't recommended-come on! I was dying and the Leopard was mostly controlling my thinking patterns as well as my depression!-then went home to relax for half an hour before looking after the toddlers and babies whilst Pepper went to work.

It wasn't long after that when my technology found Captain America and I created a way to unfreeze him then left and didn't visit again, for one I was reminded of when my Dad wouldn't shut up about him when I was a kid that caused me to practically hate him, and two the kids had broken out of their bedrooms and Emily and James (my cousin's in-law) were having no luck at trying to contain them, causing me to turn for home earlier than expected.

For a while things were fine, TJ, Maria, Howard, and Daniel had just started kindergarten leaving me with just Yinsen and Miracle to look after (until Pepper has the other set of twins we're now expecting, why can't we just have one baby for goodness sake?!) when I got a call from Coulson on my date night with Pepper which I desperately tried to get out of before he appeared in the elevator and got handed-well, Pepper handed it to me-a pad full of notes which led on to the tesseract and then left me calling for Emily and James to babysit all the kids at their house as I had a feeling something bad was about to happen and sent them to my home in California to make sure they'd be okay.

That's when I ended up getting a notification that Reindeer Games was in Berlin and I had to fly there at top speed. That's when everything I'd been worried about broke loose and I ended up joining a team with Captain America, Thor-Point Break-and Black Widow-Natasha Romanoff/Natalie Rushman-with my brother Clint as Hawkeye. I had to stop myself from screaming when I found out it was him. I was still rather hurt that he hadn't come back home it had been five years since I'd seen him and six since Afghanistan.

I had to ignore the fact that he was there so I could focus on the fight, but when the government sent a Nuke to blow up Manhattan-idiots-and I caught it, I couldn't stop myself from thinking about my family and I had JARVIS ring Pepper, I knew it was too late to say anything to Clint. I could tell just from seeing him again that he hated me and I had no way of fixing that with everything that had been going on, so I prayed that Pepper would be able to tell him what had happened since I knew I wouldn't be coming back when I carried the Nuke through the portal and threw it at the mothership. Eventually in the cold heart of space, I felt death take me and my last thought was of Pepper, our children, and my brother.

* * *

Then I woke to a loud roar after falling back through the portal with the Captain and Thor with the Hulk being the one that was roaring. Rodgers then told me that we'd won and then I invited the entire team to go and get shawarma with me after handing Loki over to SHIELD of course. When that was done I invited them all to stay and rest in the rooms that hadn't been destroyed in the fight and completely avoided Clint and the others as I received a call from Pepper-who was in hysterics and close to fainting-and Emily and James with the kids.

Though they had really bad timing as I was dressed only in black shorts so they could see all of my injuries which did cause Pepper to faint and we had to wait a few minutes for her to wake up before I could tell any of them what had happened. I told them about the fight with Loki and about Clint being there and assured them that other than being injured and having an aching heart-that was a 'tribute' from the shrapnel-I was fine.

Pepper came back to New York as soon as she could get out of her meeting and started another row at me for what had happened in front of the other Avengers before I broke her off with a long kiss and hug which calmed her down completely before we went to our room and slept for the rest of the day, just holding onto each other. I don't know what the Avengers thought about our exchange, but I was pretty sure the Captain disapproved of my 'playboy' actions and the others were most likely just confused as to what just happened, well apart from Clint and Natasha that is.

When I woke up I went straight to the living room that was completely trashed where the others were just sitting amongst themselves and eating some food before I offered them a place to stay at the tower. For some reason they seemed surprised by that, especially Steve and even Natasha couldn't hide her surprise, but I didn't want to lose my brother again and plus I loved the fact that I could actually have a conversation on almost anything technological with Bruce who agreed after some persuasion.

That was when I set out to repair the 'Avengers Tower' as I renamed it, and designed a floor for each of the Avengers to live on in comfort. It took a few months for the clean up of New York and the Tower for everything to go almost completely back to normal. The only thing that wasn't normal was that now I had more people living in my home other than Pepper and the children, and that we tended to have quite a few missions and arguments afterwards-the arguments were mainly just between the Captain and I since we didn't exactly get along because I wasn't "like my Father".

And that's actually the situation I'm in at the moment, the Captain yelling at me about everything I'd done wrong on a mission whilst we're in a debrief meeting with Fury with everyone actually shouting at me except for Bruce who hadn't taken a side but had to leave the environment because the Hulk was starting to emerge, causing me to recount everything in my life up to this moment.


	5. Chapter 5 Arguments and Explosions

Chapter 5 Arguments and Explosions

"You didn't follow the plan! Can't you ever stop being an arrogant self-centred-" Cap started.

"You put everyone in danger Stark! If you think you're going to get away with this-!" That was Fury. I'm pretty sure he's going to threaten to kick me off the team in a few minutes.

"You deeply betrayed us Son of Stark!" I'm not really sure what to think about Thor's comment, and Clint's just been glaring at me the whole time.

"You never listen to anything, you got Clint injured and now he's got his leg stuck in a cast just because you thought it was a good idea to throw a stunt of going into the bugs' mouth and killing it from the inside out!'" That was Widow. She's very peeved at me as is plain to tell. But what did she expect me to do? The only weak spot on the creature (no-one can actually figure out what it was supposed to resemble, some form of alien worm maybe?) was inside of it and I didn't fly into it, it swallowed me! The reason I blew it up from the inside out without contacting any of the others was because I couldn't as my link to them had shattered and I was having a panic attack.

I should really tell them all this, it might not do much good but it could help them to understand my actions. It wasn't something I could control and really, how was I supposed to know that it was attacking Clint when it exploded and trapped him under the rubble of the building he was in?

"You always disobey orders and frankly, I'm done dealing with you! You're off the team Stark!" If I had been moving I would have frozen at Cap's words. Instead I look at him, and everyone else who had been yelling at me. I hadn't said a single word since I came in, keeping my face completely poker, showing no emotion or movement as I battle against myself and Leopard to stop myself from ripping and roaring into action. It's moments like this when I really can empathise with Bruce, it is really difficult to suppress your own shifting, especially when any emotion can cause it and not just two that Bruce has to deals with.

Cap's breathing deeply as he and the other's catch their breath from their rants. I just look at each of them, somehow managing to control the Leopard, my emotions, and my body language in front of them as I break apart from the inside. After a few more seconds I simply stand, don't say a word, and walk out of the room with them yelling after me, but I don't hear them. All I can hear is my heart thumping in my chest preparing for a shift and the Arc glowing brighter and brighter as I struggle to control it, if I can't control it, it'll release all the energy my heart is creating which is powerful enough to cause a blackout around the whole city for hours whilst I die unless it is replaced or given more energy. That is something which I cannot afford to happen. I can feel them coming after me through the vibrations in the floor, so I begin to run. I don't know where I'm going, but I need to get away from here quickly and either shift somewhere and calm down or take out my Arc Reactor and let the energy inside of me be used for something more urgent.

I hear the sound of a Taser being shot out and I know that Natasha's shooting her Widow Bites at me to get me to stop. But I'm too fast for them to hit me. I haven't used my full speed or strength in front of them in fear of what they would do, but like Bruce said when we first met "We're a time-bomb" except that I'm actually the bomb and they were the countdown. I dodge out of the way of the bites coming towards me and use my extensive energy to push my legs to almost their full speed-a speed which I know even Captain America will have trouble keeping up with. I hear shocked shouts from the Avengers behind me, but I can't stop or I'll lose control. I enter the Common Area of Avengers Tower and I hear Bruce yell in surprise at my sudden appearance and speed, but I can't stop, not now, or we'll have an even bigger situation on our hands than me just 'disobeying orders'.

I was heading to the elevator which I knew I would reach when I felt a stab in my chest causing me to abruptly stop and fall over myself, landing on the floor in a heap as I feel panic rise inside of me. The Arc is about to release the energy. I sense the Avengers standing around me and feel them turn me over so that I'm staring at their faces, but before anything else can happen, I pull out my Arc Reactor and sit up before throwing it high into the air and yelling for JARVIS to destroy it.

Almost immediately after I cry out to JARVIS I see one of my suits appear out of nowhere and destroy the Arc Reactor, which immediately explodes, and the energy from the explosion enters into my heart and I feel it abruptly stop and darkness envelops me.

* * *

When I wake up, it's to the sound of voices, both angry and confused. I can make out the voices of the Avengers and Fury and... someone else, another female? I can't tell what they're arguing about but I can feel the emotions and their thoughts in the atmosphere of the room and I have to breathe deeply to stop my heart from racing again, when I realise that it's not beating. I try to make out some of the yelling and discover that I've been dead for about 8 hours-judging by the comments being made-when the Arc Reactor exploded. They'd taken me to the lab and placed another Arc Reactor in my chest, but my heart hadn't started. Even now as I listen to them arguing, I can't make out the sound of a heart monitor beeping even though I know it's attached to my chest and my heart should be beating, but isn't. The Avengers are currently playing the blame game, as to who's fault it was that I'm 'dead' and I sigh quietly as I listen.

"If he'd have told us that the Arc Reactor was going to explode then we could have prevented this!" Cap, as usual, always blaming it on my lack of input. What did he expect me to do? I couldn't exactly tell them when they were all shouting at me and trying not to leap at them in full Leopard form and hurt them.

"If you had actually let him speak during the 'debrief' instead of shouting at him for the whole time, then it wouldn't have happened!" Pepper. So that's who it was! I can clearly hear the hurt and anger in her voice as well as sense her distress as she tries to control the Snow Leopard. Her voice cut through all of the other's and they immediately shut up. Nobody likes Pepper when she's angry, she's very, very, terrifying when she is (and trust me, even I'm afraid of her and we've been married for 9 years).

I open my eyes and I can clearly see her facing the Avengers and Fury who stand a little way off to the right side of the bed staring at her with shame etched on their faces. Even Fury and Natasha are revealing their emotions which is surprising-Natasha also appears to have been crying. Pepper is extremely pale yet flushed a dark red from all of her crying and her green eyes keep changing to turquoise and back as she fights to suppress the Snow Leopard and her shaking.

She's dressed in a black dress and heels which clearly states that she was at Stark Industries before she came here, and I can clearly make out the bump of the twins she's carrying, and I'm almost afraid to think about what the press and company is going through right now as I'm sure that the whole world knows that I am dead. I turn my thoughts away and look back at Pepper and feel tears fill my eyes at her next words.

"Had it not even occurred to you, to ask him why he _'disobeyed'_ your orders Captain?!" She glares at Steve and everyone else before continuing. "I asked JARVIS what had happened and he told me that when _you_ Captain America, ordered Tony to shoot a repulsor beam at the-the THING that it _SWALLOWED HIM!_ _SWALLOWED_ Captain! He didn't fly into it! And when he blew it up, he had been panicking and couldn't control his Arc Reactor and had no way of communicating with you to warn you! Yet, all of _you_, turned your backs against him and didn't even listen to him when he tried to explain! You didn't even let him speak! Now he's dead because his heart was going too fast to be able to use the energy the Arc Reactor was creating! Yet now you're blaming him for his own death when it was _your_ fault! All of you murdered him! The only one out of all of you that I can deem as innocent here is Bruce. And if you think that I'm going to support you all with Tony's money then get lost. _You_ killed him and now I've lost the only man I've ever loved! All because he got a teammate injured!" The last of her sentence breaks off in a broken sob and fresh tears are falling down her furious and hurt face. No one says anything and I can sense their shame and regret, even Bruce who didn't do anything wrong feels as though he should have stayed in the room to try and calm things down.

"Now I have to run a company and deal with the press who are demanding to know how he died! And I don't know what to tell them, because despite what you've done I know you're good people and I don't want you to be known as murderers." Her expression is somewhat softened now and the tears keep coming. That's the Pepper I know and love, one-despite everything that she's been through-still looks for the best in people no matter what they may have done and looks out for them. I want to comfort her, so I do it the only way I know how. Letting her know I'm here.

I allow the tears in my eyes to fall at the scene before me and I finally let my heart start beating again. The silence filled with the sound of the heart monitor beeping rapidly and everyone turns around to see me-and I'm wearing nothing but shorts-sitting upright on the cot, crying. Crying for all of them, but most particularly Pepper. I remove the lines attached to the heart monitors and carefully slide off of the cot, ignoring the sounds of gasps from the Avengers and Fury, and walk straight to Pepper whose eyes are wide in shock. Then I wrap my arms around her, pulling her shaking body into my chest, and hold her as I cry silently with her.

After some time, I slowly pull out of the hug and gently kiss her lips, feeling her body begin to relax and calm down. After a few long seconds I break the kiss and hug her once more before whispering in her ear: "I love you Pepper" then I turn to face the Avengers and Nick Fury.

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

**Thanks for the feedback being made, it is really appreciated. I know the past few chapters have been short and have a bit of information missing that should probably be in them, but I always feel like I'm writing too much until I post the chapter and see how much I've written. I'll try and make some of the next few chapters longer. By the way, I'm the sort of person that can have 20 stories going through their head at once, so when I get bored with one I tend to abandon it until I get back into it again, so if it feels like things are missing in the story that's because I want to get to one of the exciting parts in the story that I have planned before I've even got the climax for it written, I'm very impatient with myself and I write a LOT of stories.**

**By the way, I won't be able to publish or update any new chapters as often as I have lately since I'm now back at school and have homework to catch up on, anyway thanks for the support and reading my story! :)**


	6. Chapter 6 Hysterical Langer

Chapter 6 Hysterical Langer

To say they were shocked would probably be an understatement. Okay a gigantic understatement as soon as I turned to face them the room exploded with the sound of a million questions being asked at once that I couldn't understand a single word being said. It sounded like a high pitched scream that could make a deaf man hear again. All of them a just yelling at me without even appearing to breathe though I can hear their hearts quite clearly and know that they're just freaking out.

After a few painful minutes of trying to ignore the shouting they all finally calm down enough that they're just panting from their rants and just look exhausted. I didn't do anything the whole time as I knew it wouldn't do any good when they were-or should I say are?-in shock. I know that they want answers, but I'm not even sure what to say about what happened as I still can't seem to grasp how my heart restarted and how I was alive without it beating! I really need to take a look at my biology again and figure out how my mutation as Ware can do that.

As I wait for them to completely calm down I try and ignore the ringing in my ears that I'm sure will eventually make me deaf. I can hear things from miles away and anything spoken loudly to me or near sounds like it's coming through a speaker and the fact that they were all practically screaming at me means that I can't hear a single thing other than the ringing in my ears, and I have no doubt that Pepper is experiencing the same thing since her eyes are squeezed shut and her hand is trembling inside my own.

It's not like I can turn my hearing on and off-though I really wish I could, it'd make the meetings I go to far more interesting than they really are. When I think they've calmed down enough I take Pepper back to the cot with me and sit down in the middle and pull her next to me so that her head's leaning against my chest so that she can see the Reactor and know that she's not dreaming. I smile when I notice her peaceful expression as she begins to drift off into a light sleep, her arms wrapped tightly around my chest.

I know that procrastination isn't a good thing, but I want some time to think about what just happened to me and so I can block out the ringing in my ears so that I'll be able to hear properly, though I don't think it'll go away for another three hours at least. I finally look back up to see the others staring at me and Pepper sitting on the cot.

I can tell what they're thinking due to the emotions being fed to my brain, it's a rather odd remix of emotions as most of them are negative ones. Anger, rage, shock, fear, relief, grief, and fury-ha, that's a funny one since it's coming from Fury and I don't suppress the chuckle that starts at my chest and breaks into complete laughter by the time it reaches my mouth. The atmosphere in the room immediately changes as they all look at me in shock, fear, and anxiety all of them afraid that I'm going hysterical* which only makes me laugh harder but thankfully Pepper stays asleep.

"What's so funny Stark?" Fury asks his one eye narrowing in disapproval as he attempts to stare my laughter down and make me feel intimidated which only makes me laugh even harder and wake up Pepper who sits up abruptly in panic and asking: "What happened?! Where's Tony?" Which only makes my laughter worse and I start to think that maybe I am getting a bit hysterical.

"I'm here love." I answer her questions and she relaxes a little before turning worried as she takes in my hysterical laughter filling up the room that I can't seem to control. After a few seconds I manage to control my laughter by taking in huge gasps of air-okay they were huge for me, I probably sounded like I was having an asthma attack from the looks of fear and concern I was getting from everyone except for Pepper, but hey, when you have a giant cavity in your chest with a metal cylinder sitting on top of your lungs with your ribs grating against it you tend to have breathing difficulties-and calm down my racing heart enough that I am able to speak again.

"Your faces... they're... completely priceless!" I say in between gasps and still managing to choke on my breathing since I still can't control my laughter, it's as if I've inhaled some laughing gas or something! _Okay I should not have thought that_, I think as another wave of giggles escapes my lips. Yep, definitely hysterical. "You know, considering the fact that... I was just dead for 8 hours... you really can't keep yourselves from torturing a man with your rants and lectures can you?" I ask. I hadn't been able to hear them but I can read lips so I could 'hear' every word they were yelling at me and I feel my hysterical laughter turm to hysterical anger+laughter-I have no idea what to call it as I can feel myself breaking from the inside out and my brain doesn't seem to working straight.

"Tony... we didn't mean to-" Cap begins, but I interrupt him in my hysterical langer (laughter+anger=langer-don't ask me where that came from I have no idea).

"Blame me? Sure Cap. Every single one of you has been cutting down on my nerves with every single mistake I've made since joining the Avengers, despite having saved the world and yourselves from a Nuclear BOMB! Yet you all treat me like a self-centered narcissistic brat who doesn't care about anyone, and you never consider the fact that I'm still human as well as all of you! You all make mistakes but you always have a go at mine, despite the fact that I break down after nearly every debrief we have after a mission! All because I made mistakes, like none of you don't make your own mistakes!" I pause and glare at them all before continuing. "And yet all of you are ranting at me as though I wasn't dead for 8 hours and that I let the Arc Reactor explode on purpose!" Tears are falling straight down my face now in my hysterical langer and I discover that I'm on my feet pointing my index finger at them all accusingly as my next words come out.

"You've all been pushing at me to do all the work and funding on this team for only your own gain, and I work my heart out to get everything done for you so that you'll be happy, yet none of you seem to consider the fact that I have a job-a company for crying out loud!-that requires me to work on an almost daily basis so that I have almost no time for myself! I'm sick of this." My voice breaks at the last part and I find myself sitting down on the cot again staring at the floor as the tears burn my skin, but not before I saw the looks of shock, regret, and shame on all of their faces-even Fury and Natasha and they never show emotion when they can help it which is basically all the time, though they're trying and failing to put their masks back up. I finally let myself break down and feel Pepper push me gently onto my back on the cot whilst rubbing soothing circles on my arm. I feel myself drifting off, but not before hearing the words of an ashamed and regretful Captain.

"We never should have judged him like this."

* * *

**Author's Note:**

**Hey everyone, I know it's been a while since I posted anything but school has been pretty hectic since it started back up again. Thanks for all your support however, I know this is another short chapter but I've had a lot of work to do and I just thought it'd be easier to write a chapter with Tony being hysterical but angry at the same time since I'm kind of feeling like that at the moment. I'll try and upload another chapter as soon as possible. Also for another fanfiction that I'm writing about Tony and the Avengers, it's one where Tony is a woman and ends up having to marry Loki after the battle of New York. I'm finding it a rather fun one to write at the moment as well as this one and I'm not sure whether I should post it or not, it'll be a long one like this one is, but it is rather interesting and funny. If you want me to post it then just either send me a message or keep reviewing on the story. Thanks for all your support!**

*Hysterical-I spent a full 10 minutes trying to remember that word as I kept trying to hyperventilating because I couldn't remember the right word, it was pretty funny when I finally remembered it.

**Mairai688**


	7. Chapter 7 Questions and Answers

Chapter 6 Questions and Answers

When I woke up I wasn't expecting to find myself in my bedroom with Pepper sleeping next to me, and all of the Avengers scattered around on my emperor-sized bed-what? I don't stay still on a night and I have six kids with another two on the way, how else am I supposed to fit them all on here? Cap's by my feet and appeared to have been sketching something before he fell asleep and I can just make out the outlines of Thor falling asleep upside down on the bed a few feet away from me, I look over to where the outline is on the pad to see that it is entirely accurate. Thor's lying diagonal along the right corner at the bottom of the bed, his collar and head completely obscured by the bodies next to him and the fact that he is indeed upside down.

Natasha is lying next to him curled up into a ball but nearer the middle of the bed than the edge, hugging a large pillow to her chest and making it look like it's going to burst by how hard she's squeezing it. It's nearly impossible not to laugh and I have to bite my lip to keep myself from chuckling. Bruce is lying next to her, close to Pepper's thighs but facing Widow. An arm appears to have been around her before either one of them moved and his position is almost the same as as Widow's except he's clutching a blanket instead of a pillow that appears to have been covering them both.

I still think that they should start dating, but Bruce is too scared to ask her out in case something bad happens and the Other Guy appears. Natasha doesn't appear to have any grudge against him, even after what happened on the Helicarrier though it took her a while to get over what happened and trust him fully. From what I can tell, she very much wants to date him, but is scared of herself and doesn't seem to know how to present herself in a way that would encourage him to ask her out.

I make a mental note to find a way to get them alone and away from everyone else so that they can have a date without any interruption, though I haven't quite figured out how to do it yet. Maybe a dinner at a restaurant? Nah, too formal and it would only make Bruce panic. A picnic? No wouldn't work this time of year. Never mind, I'll come up with something at some point.

Next on the list is Clint. Except I can't see him anywhere. I look over Pepper's shoulder, trying not to wake her up and don't see him. I begin to panic, afraid that he's gotten himself hurt or is angry with me for what happened and has run off again. I feel my heart begin to race as well as my breathing until I feel a hand on my left shoulder. I abruptly turn my head around (nearly giving myself whiplash-again) and see lint lying next to me, not far from the edge of the bed, his eyes almost bloodshot and his face exhausted. He doesn't say anything and neither do I as I begin to calm down.

Once my heart is calm again and my breathing is normal, I take a proper look at him. He's wearing a loose T-shirt and long navy shorts without any patterns. His hair is ruffled and sticking up on one side of his head and his eyes are bloodshot. He's been up all night again, making sure I was safe. His whole body seems to scream exhaustion but I can tell he won't give in unless he's sure I'm alright.

I look at his blue eyes which seem to scream at me in worry, wondering if I'm okay. I give a small real smile which is rarely shown to anyone and I see him visibly relax, before moving in and closing the distance between us and snuggles into my chest after seeing if it's okay with me. I just smiled and put my arm around him in comfort and forgiveness for us both and I hear him sigh in quiet relief and attempting to snuggle deeper into my chest. I feel a purr rise in my chest and up my throat and smile when I see Clint relax so that he appears to be completely asleep. I close my eyes feeling bliss that I haven't completely lost my brother, despite the fact that I got his ankle broken and gave him a load of bruises from when the Space Worm exploded. With that as my last thought, I fall into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

Or so I thought.

Almost immediately after I fell asleep, I seemed to be awakened by nightmares of my past. It started off with Afghanistan and my time in the Cave as it always does, only this time Clint's there and being tortured brutally along with Pepper, our children, the Avengers, and Yinsen instead of me. All of them going through every single torture I went through just so I would make the missile.

They were yelling at me, in languages that I have since become fluent in, trying to force me into making the Jericho, with each and everyone one of my friends and family-though the children couldn't understand what was going on-screaming at me not to do it before I watch every single one of them die with Yinsen repeating his last words to me before the life leaves his eyes once more. "Don't waste your life" and I abruptly wake up screaming.

My heart feels like it's trying to push its way out of my chest except that there's a whole chunk of metal in the way that's keeping it in place. I can't tell what exactly is going on around me as I try and focus my eyesight and slow my breathing. I could see my brother and Pepper in front of me, Clint majorly panicking and Pepper trying to calm everyone down, including myself as I try and figure out where I am.

Cap, Widow, and Thor are all looking anxious, afraid that I'm going to have another heart-attack and not come back. Widow's trying to calm down Clint at the moment-who fell off of the bed from all of my movement, which sent him into a panic when he couldn't wake me up. Thor doesn't know what to do other than talk quietly and try and convince Pepper that poptarts would calm me down (I still find his obsession with poptarts a little weird) and Cap's trying to help Bruce and Pepper calm me down.

In the end, it takes TJ, Maria, Howard, Daniel, Yinsen, and Miracle to calm me down. They're still young TJ, Maria, Howard, and Daniel only being 8 and 7 years old and Yinsen and Miracle being 5. They're not supposed to come in here when the Avengers are in the room, but their bedroom's are linked to ours and the fact that they heard me screaming freaked them out.

To say everyone else was surprised is an understatement, they all completely froze in shock except for Pepper and Clint-though Clint was surprised when he saw Yinsen and Miracle since he hadn't met them. THey had all climbed onto the bed-and it was a bit of a struggle since the bed is a few inches higher than any normal bed off the ground-and immediately hugged me and started telling me jokes-and they weren't all that bad considering their ages-which brought my focus back onto my surroundings and allowed me to relax.

Closing my eyes, I let my focus drift to my racing heart and frantic breathing which quickly relaxed and I managed to avoid passing out. I lay my head back on the pillows and feel my chest rise and fall deeply almost making me fall back asleep before someone with impeccable timing speaks up.

"Are you okay Tony?" Bruce asks quietly, so as not to startle me no doubt. I reluctantly open my eyes to see everyone staring at me, the children spread out around my body and holding my hands and resting their heads on my chest. The Avengers are spread out around them still slightly wary about them being here by the emotions in the room. Pepper's next to me on my right slightly less panicked and Clint calmer than before on my left.

Natasha and Bruce are more wary about the children than the others since they don't spend a lot of time with kids and Bruce is just worried about losing control around them. Whereas Cap's trying to figure out if I've really been sleeping with Pepper like the press thinks, and Thor's just trying to figure out how six children 'walked through a wall' which is really just a hologram that can harden when turned off by someone on either side.

In order to ease the anxiety in the room, I let myself relax to tall them that I'm going to talk, and sit up as Pepper adjusts the pillows to support my back and neck before I finally speak. "I'm fine," At their looks of disbelief I sigh again and continue. "It was just a nightmare, that's all, but I'm fine now." I say my voice sounding slightly stronger and they all relax somewhat, especially Pepper, Clint, and the kids. Then cap speaks, his voice confused and slightly suspicious.

"Who are the kids?" He asks glancing at them and they smile nervously at him and the other Avengers. I sigh and look at Pepper and we have a silent conversation before I turn away and look back up at him to answer his question.

"They are my children-"Is all I manage to get out before they all-excluding Pepper and Clint of course-yell in surprise and Cap starts his rant on how wrong it is for me to be having children outside of marriage-and I do agree it is wrong, but that's just my opinion as I've seen what it does to other people-and I can't hold it back anymore. A loud growl rips from my chest and out of my throat, at a volume that is louder than their yelling and shuts them to complete silence as fear and shock suddenly overcome them.

"Don't you dare talk about me like that!" I growl, my voice is two octaves lower than it usually is (and I'm a high tenor) and my pupils become slits and I have to control my emotions to stop myself from shifting. "I would never have children outside of marriage, as it is completely wrong in my opinion. I am married and my children are legitimate." I glare at each of them in turn, all of them looking scared, including Pepper and Clint but they're worried about what I'll do to them.

After a few deep breaths, and lots of hugs from my children, I manage to calm down enough that my pupils dilate and the Leopard receeds back to my subconsciousness once more. Once I'm sure I'm calm enough to face their questions I look back up at them and nod at Clint to let him know I'm calm enough to answer questions. taking a deep breath, Clint asks the main questions that has everyone rialed up even though he already knows the answers.

"When did you get married, and who did you marry?" He asks quietly, clearly still being cautious after what just happened. I sigh again quietly before looking them all in the eyes, before looking down at my hands trying to muster up the strength to answer. TJ wraps his arms around my chest and leans on me comfortingly and I put my hand on his head, stroking his black-brown-ginger hair (I don't know how that happened either, it's his natural colour as well as Maria's). After a few more seconds I manage to say the small, yet simple words.

"I got married 9 years ago... when I was 16, I married Pepper." My voice is hardly above a whisper and I risk a glance at the others who are shocked at this unexpected revelation. The fact that they're becoming shocked so often has stopped phasing me now, and it's somehow getting annoying.

"You got married when you were 16?! How old are you now?" Cap asks, staring at me with his mouth open and his eyes wide, it's almost comical especially since the others, except for Clint are perfectly copying him.

"I'm 25 Captain." If it was possible for them to become even more shocked then they did, but right now I don't think they could.

"How old were you when Afghanistan happened?" Bruce asks quietly, seemingly afraid of the answer as well. Everyone's looking at me the same way, but I can't stand to see the pity that will come into their eyes when I tell them and I can't bare to think about the cave right now, not so soon after having a nightmare about it. I close my eyes tightly shut and lean back against the pillows as I feel the panic overtake me again. "Tony are you okay?" I hear Bruce ask but I can't answer as I try and fight the anxiety filling me up again. I feel the Arc light up in my chest and the emotions around me intensify in panic, fear, and confusion. I force my heart to slow down and try to block the memories from coming to the forefront of my mind, by the time I can focus enough to open my eyes, all of my children are clinging to me tightly their eyes full of worry.

I calm myself down enough for their sakes before looking back up at Pepper and Clint, who promptly put their arms around me in a way of comfort, confusing the others. After another few deep breaths I finally force myself to answer the question. "I was... I was 19." I whisper closing my eyes as the memories fly into my minds eye and I clench my fists in order to suppress my shaking and anxiety. That's when memories of the Wormhole in New York flit into my mind and my heart races even faster, I don't know what made them come up but I force myself to hyperventilate to stop another Arc exploding. I hear panic around me but I ignore it as I let myself slip into unconsciousness.


	8. Chapter 8 Family Feuds Resolved

Chapter 8 Family Feuds Resolved

* * *

**I've added this in so you know who are in Tony's family + extended family and how old they are.**

**Family Tree**

**Parents: Howard Walter Stark, Maria Stark + Aliza Potts, Daniel "John" Potts**

**Siblings: Clint Francis Barton-Stark (adopted) + Jamie Lily Jackson (married)**

**Anthony "Tony" Edward Stark born May 26th-29th 1974**

**Virginia "Pepper" Stark born June 12th 1974**

**Married: June 16 1990**

**Children:**

**1\. Anthony "TJ" Edward Stark Junior born February 2nd 1991**

**Maria Aliza Stark born February 2nd 1991 (3 seconds later)**

**2\. Howard Walter Stark born December 6th 1991**

**Daniel John Stark born December 6th 1991 (13 seconds later)**

**3\. Yinsen Stark born October 1st 1993**

**Miracle Stark born October 1st 1993 (12 seconds later)**

* * *

It's been three hours since I passed out and I still can't figure out how the-don't think it, don't think it!-came into my minds eye. After about and hour of trying to figure it out when I woke up I gave up. Normally I don't do that, but then its impossible to understand the brain, especially mine.

I woke up after 42:27 seconds in which I found my kids attempting to get the Hulk to appear-that had Bruce freaking out slightly and even though I do try and get him to do it, I knew it'd be far worse if the kids did it, so I decided to announce myself to them which immediately had me covered head to toe in kids, literally I'm not joking, in which Bruce looked grateful whilst the others all had a laugh as I tried to get up but found I couldn't. Apparently whilst I'd been out, Pepper had been telling them about how we ended up getting married and had just got to the part when I took her to my room when I woke up.

"Wait, Tony took you to his room?!" Cap asked astonished clearly thinking I'd either tired or had slept with her. Everyone's staring at me with the same expression as Cap and I feel my face go bright red before I retort to what they're all clearly thinking-even Clint, but I'm pretty sure he's just acting since Natasha started watching him more than usual after the hug he gave me with Pepper.

"I didn't sleep with her, or even try to thanks!" I say, anger bright in my eyes and I have to clench my hands into fists again to stop the shift. Thankfully Pepper manages to calm me down before it becomes too noticeable. "I only took her there for some privacy from my parents! Though it didn't work anyway, they were listening the whole time." I mutter the last part in annoyance, I was still peeved about even after a few months, though it quickly became an inside joke that I used when I invited a woman home for company buisness talks, they'd usually be surprised to find children at home with me and Pepper.

"Wait, if you wanted some privacy and you probably lived in a mansion, then why did you go to your bedroom for privacy?" Natasha asks, still suspicious of me for sleeping with Pepper before we got married. I sigh and roll my eyes in frustration before putting my hands on my head and gripping my hair tightly in my hands. This is the Leopard's decision, he thinks it's obvious whilst I know that it isn't and so I'm doing this to prevent him from appearing in my frustration.

After a few more seconds of deep breathing and getting my anger under control I manage to look up to see the two youngest-Yinsen and Miracle-sitting on my chest, trying to play peek-a-boo with me for some reason which causes me to laugh as it obviously doesn't work quite right. This causes them to smile and I let go of my hair and answer Natasha's question as she stares at me expectantly.

"I took her to my room, because that's one of my sanctuaries, as well as the fact that we had servants around the house some of which were very snoopy, and weren't allowed in my room. Some used to sell my secrets to the public. They were promptly fired." I state, naturally as though it isn't much of a deal even though I'm trying to stave off the true fact.

"You're lying, that's just an excuse, why did you take her to your room Tony?" Bruce asks, surprising me. He'd been pretty quiet since I got the kids off him, aside from the two on my chest they are now all playing with Thor on the floor-ha, rhymed-some of them attempting to pick up Thor's hammer. "Tony."

"Hm?" I look back up and see Bruce sigh and I look at him sheepishly and sigh myself before taking a deep breath and answering as I know Natasha would kill me if I tried another lie, but I can't tell them that we're Weres, they wouldn't trust us, they'd leave like everyone else... "Okay... I took her to my room because I wanted to show her something to gain her trust before I proposed to her, and don't even think about asking what it is, it's personal and private." I say before Cap can try and ask. Natasha's looking at me suspiciously and Clint's looking down at his hands with a small sad smile on his face which Natasha has no doubt seen, and probably wondering what it is he knows that she doesn't.

"Why won't you tell us what it is Man of Iron? I understand that it's personal for you both, but do you not trust us by now to tell us?" I have to consider what Thor says for a moment before answering, wrapping my arms around Yinsen and Miracle who've now both fallen asleep. I feel Pepper's hand take hold of mine and our fingers intertwine and she squeezes my hand slightly in comfort. She's leaving the decision to me, she's fine with it, she trusts them but me...? I'm still trying to figure it out.

I take a small quiet breath and let it out before looking up briefly and say the words I'm sure Cap doesn't want to hear, or the others. "No... I don't. At least... not enough to trust you with this yet." Suddenly, I feel the exhaustion and sadness in the room even from my children, its overwhelming and I can feel it overpowering my own emotions. I try to block it out, as passing out now would look suspicious, but it becomes stronger and I eventually cave in to sleep.

* * *

It was another two hours before I woke up again, leading to where I am now. I'm still in bed, but I'm now alone with Clint next to me on Pepper's side of the bed with his legs crossed in navy trousers and a white T-Shirt, with a bandage around his sprained ankle,watching me. I've been awake for only a few minutes now, but it feels as though hes been watching me for hours. Then again, he probably has. After a few more minutes of awkward silence, I force myself into a sitting position-someone had laid me back down-and turn to look at him directly in the eyes, but before I can say a word or even open my mouth Clint speaks.

"Pepper had to into work for an emergency meeting that popped out of nowhere and the kids are playing with the others on the common floor. I convinced them to let me keep an eye on you since the kids wanted to play with them and not me." He looks a little sad at that last part and I know exactly what he's thinking. I told the kids not to talk to Clint if he ever saw them as they would give away the fact that Pepper and I are married and it would release the secret and leave me in far more trouble than I know either of us would want. Although I know they spy on him through the cameras often enough, even Yinsen and Miracle who don't even know him.

"I told them to leave you alone Clint." He looks at me confused and slightly hurt at what I said but doesn't let me continue before he asks his own question.

"Why?" I can hear all the pain and grief in just that one word. Even though he's not expressing it physically his voice is. I decide not to let him wallow in that much longer, I'd known he was upset and angry with me from the moment I saw him, I can read him like a book even though I didn't see him very much when we were younger. I can read Natasha too though I try not to since I don't usually like what I read.

"Well, you were angry with me when we met in New York and there wasn't really any time for either of us to address that in any way, also I didn't want anyone to find out about my secret and I didn't know what you'd do about the kids. I'm actually surprised you haven't told Fury about it yet, I thought you would've by now." For some reason, that makes him angry and he clenches his fists before glaring at me with all the emotion he's been keeping inside of him for 6 years.

"You think I'd tell Fury?! I promised you I wouldn't tell anyone anything about you being married or being a Were! And I'd never harm those kids they're my family too you know! I wouldn't betray you like that! Even after what you said to me 6 years ago!" I close my eyes then as I remember what Pepper told me I'd said to him, some things should never be said. When I open my eyes again Clint is still fuming but keeping his voice low and quiet despite his obvious anger. "I was mad at you for what you'd done and I managed to calm myself down after the second day I'd been gone and went back home to talk to you about it and discover the house practically abandoned with no one there to tell me where you were!" I cringed at that and close my eyes as I remember sending someone to the house to tell Clint that I'd moved only to discover the day after that they'd died in a car crash on the way there and that they never got to Clint.

I look back up at him my voice box becoming a heavy weight in my throat as I try to prevent myself from crying over what had happened. "Clint... I didn't know what I'd said," he snorts at that in sarcasm and I interrupt him before he can say anything. "No, Clint. Listen to me. I wasn't in control of myself that day. The night when Stane came to the house, he did something to me, he didn't like the fact that you were helping me with my depression and trying to talk me out of making weapons. So he used some technology I'd been developing to control me. The day after you left the technology's effect on me had worn off and i was myself again. Pepper was mad at me and I didn't know why, then I found out you had disappeared because I'd said a load of lies that I hadn't even meant. I can't remember that day or even going to sleep the night Stane came."

I stop there, I'm not sure how much longer I can prevent the tears from slipping over my eyes. Clint's face is frozen in shock as he takes in what I told him, then he puts two and two together, figuring out the rest for himself without needing me to explain. "You panicked when you found out it was him that did it, you left the house to keep them safe, but left me behind." His voice is small and quiet and I can clearly see the tears in his eyes spill directly over the lids. I can't stop my own now. I let the tears fall before finishing the rest of the memory.

"I sent someone back to tell you where I'd gone and to meet us there before I got on the plane. But they died on the way there. I found out once we arrived at the house and I went looking for you. But I never found you." My voice breaks then and I can't continue any further. I look down at my hands, pale white as usual, despite the fact that I like spending a lot of time in the sun it's literally impossible for me to get a tan and I have no idea why, I usually have to put make-up on in public to make it seem as though I have a tan, which is generally why I wear suits most of the time as it requires less make-up to cover exposed skin.

Suddenly I feel Clint leaning against me and look up to see him quietly asking if I want a hug. For once, I actually do and I pull him into a deep hug that both of us dearly needs and has missed. I don't know how long we're in that hug for, but it's long enough that the tension in the room and inside of us is released and I feel as though a heavy weight has been lifted off of my shoulders, and I feel peace for the first time in years.

* * *

Later on Clint decides that we've been alone long enough to make the others worry if I wouldn't wake up and so with a bit of help from Clint, I get out of bed and into the shower before getting dressed and we both leave the room to join the Avengers and my kids on the Common floor. When the elevator arrives on the floor we're met by Thor and TJ playing a rather twisted version of hide and seek. Instead of Thor hiding he's attempting to pounce TJ whenever he gets close which somehow he's failing at since TJ keeps disappearing and attempting to jump Thor.

That is my attempt of understanding what they're doing. Maria and Howard are apparently playing tag with Cap and Widow-thankfully without the repulsors, they got into my workshop one night when I'd fallen asleep and JARVIS had to get Pepper to come and wake me up, since his attempts were futile, but unfortunately they'd already done a lot of damage to the hallway and other rooms.

I had to have JARVIS lock down the entire floor so the Avengers wouldn't see the kids since they'd been woken up by all the blasts, thinking it was an intruder. That had taken a lot of my time trying to convince them that there was a chemical reaction in the 'shop (I had to stop Bruce from going in to check the chemical equipment he'd been using and convince him that I would deal with it). Daniel and Yinsen seem to be trying to build a tower out of cards with Bruce who they're still trying to find a way of unleashing the Hulk, which won't work since that man has the patience of a saint.

It's when the tower of cards falls down when Maria and Howard accidently run through it, after they managed to get all the cards on, with Cap crashing into the sofa and WIdow into Bruce and Thor and TJ crash into the other side of the sofa Cap's on at another failed attempt of jumping the other, that they finally realise we're here.

Clint and I burst out laughing when all the collisions happened with Clint practically collapsing onto the floor in a fit of laughter and me having to press my back against the wall to prevent myself from joining him. After they get over their surprise of seeing us they all burst into laughter especially when they notice Widow accidentally kissing Bruce from when she fell over, both of their faces turn a bright red and I can't help but make a joke.

"I didn't think you were one to go for a scientist Widow, don't you prefer ballet to yoga?" Bruce's face darkens further into the blush whilst Natasha promises death which I promptly ignore, I'm a Leopard she can't hurt me if I don't want her to. It then occurs to me that my family's been extended to the Avengers, and clearly there's always going to be some family feuds somewhere.


	9. Chapter 9 Weres and Questions

**In this chapter the Leopard meets the Avengers, these are the scents of each character:**

**Blood-Love-Secrets - Natasha Romanoff**

**Calm-Angry-Willow - Bruce Banner**

**Olddust-Blueberry-Paint - Captain America**

**Magic-Thunder-Alcohol - Thor Odinson**

**Special-Smokey-Brother - Clint Barton**

**Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold - Pepper Stark**

**Soft-Creampuff - Dr. Storms **

**Sunset-Lightning-Stark - Tony Stark**

* * *

Chapter 9 Weres and Questions

A week after the revelation of my family to the Avengers finds me sitting in the common room reading a story to Yinsen and Miracle, hoping they'll fall asleep. It's 7:30 pm and I couldn't get them to go to sleep in their rooms so I brought them in here to read them a story that helps them to fall asleep. The older twins are listening as well as it's a rare occurrence for me to read to them since I'm always so busy. Even Clint's listening which is a surprise, in fact as I look up briefly from the book I can see all of the Avengers sat close to me around the room listening, I have no idea whether that's a good thing or not. By the time I get to the end of the story Yinsen, Miracle, Howard, Daniel, Maria, and TJ have all fallen asleep.

I carefully place the book down on the armrest as I try not to disturb Yinsen and Miracle before picking them both up and taking them to their room with Cap and Clint bringing the other twins. Once I put them in bed I head back to the common room where the other Avengers are still sitting, watching me as I come in.

"What?" It's unnerving the fact that they're watching me so intently and appearing to be half asleep, it's actually starting to get a little creepy. "What guys? Why are you staring at me like that?" I ask as I sit down and pick up my laptop to finish some work for the company.

"They're intrigues by your reading Tony, I'm surprised you could read a story as boring as that one was and make it sound like an adventure!" Clint exclaims, as he and Cap come into the room. We'd agreed to keep the fact that we're brothers a secret until we thought it was the best time, having too many-practically life changing-revelations on the same day or week is a bit much.

"I agree with the Eye of Hawk, you seem to have a miraculous power at reading, I myself almost fell asleep a number of times." Thor states as he attempts to wake himself up.

"How exactly are you so good at it? You're not the type of person that would strike me as a reader." Natasha states, she's still suspicious about Clint and I but so far hasn't discovered anything. She's still mad at me for the joke I made about her and Bruce and has been inflicting more strength into her strikes during our sparring than she usually does.

I just look at them all and grin widely before answering their queries. "I've been married for 9 years and have 6 children with another two on the way, don't you think I'd have had some practice in making them fall asleep just by reading?" I raise an eyebrow at them before getting back to my work. I'm working on a new type of cochlear implant that doesn't require a proper implantation for the public to use, so far it's going well, but one part of it doesn't seem to work. I know where it is that it isn't working, but it's too small for me to see properly.

Sighing I reach into my trouser pocket and pull out a small tub of mints that you can buy from the store. I tip one out and press a miniscule button and I'm suddenly holding a pair of white glasses. Putting the tub back in my pocket, I put on my glasses and relax a bit as I can see the problem more clearly and begin working on it. It then occurs to me that it's too quiet in the room, worried that something's wrong, I look up and see the Avengers staring at me with wide eyes again, even Clint. I look at them in confusion, trying to figure out what they're staring at. That's when Bruce practically tells me.

"Tony, where on Earth did those glasses come from?" He's staring at my glasses in astonishment and the confusion leaves my face as I understand why they're all confused. I pull out the tub of mints and hold them up in answer before getting back to my work. I hear someone clear their throat to gain my attention and I look up again slightly annoyed.

"What?" I ask, fully vocalising my annoyance and irritation that's starting to arrive. Bruce looks taken aback along with the other Avengers, which is entirely understandable. I'm not usually like this, but Pepper is at a meeting for Stark Industries in California, as that was the easiest place for her to go to since she's pregnant and won't be able to fly far distances for much longer, and we've had a pretty bad day dealing with arrogant politicians that won't leave me alone and business men that claim to be doing something for the 'good of the community' for me to invest in when in reality it won't do any good at all.

Then I had a doctor's appointment to go to, Doctor Storms wanted to have a check up with the Leopard and my overall health, which despite the fact that I have a good doctor I still hate hospitals. Then there was a call to assemble because some idiots thought it'd be a good idea to shoot litres of highly acidic liquid all over the city and the police couldn't contain them. I ended up with a busted suit that barely managed to function due to the acid getting into some of the wires in the suit and with quite a few burns that had to be treated.

I'm still sore from the burns and the treatment and my check-up with Dr. Storms. So overall I am crabby and exhausted from dealing with a heap of work and looking after 6 children and trying not to show my frustration in front of them and then I discovered I had work to do. This work in fact, so right now the Leopard is mostly in control since I'm too exhausted to force him back.

"Are you okay?" Bruce asks, generally worried about me now yet still curious about the glasses, but ignoring that as he takes in my expression-both physical and vocal. A deep growl builds in my chest in frustration at myself for losing control of my emotions and the Leopard, who really wants to appear at the moment.

"No." I growl out, trying to calm down and hide the growls in my chest. I glare at my computer screen, blaming it for the trouble of the day. I turn it off and leave it on the sofa before standing up, taking off my glasses and putting them away in the process, and start to head to the hallway when I sense a hand coming towards my shoulder. In my frustration I whip around and stop the hand in midair before it even reaches my shoulder, and I stare directly into the blue eyes of Captain America who's staring back in complete shock at my sudden speed and expression.

I can feel my irises changing and in the back of my mind I hear a voice of warning calling out. Suddenly Clint's between us and pulls Cap's wrist out of my grip and I notice the bruises forming on Cap's wrist as do the others. Clint pushes Cap behind him using his body to protect his, because he know's that if I shift he's the only one that can prevent me from doing any harm. As I realise this, I push harder against the Leopard, but the fight between myself and my shift is a vain battle as I can already feel the shift starting. I look Clint straight in the eye and he immediately starts warning everyone to get back, leaving everyone with worried and slightly fearful looks on their faces as they watch me shift.

It starts off slowly since I'm still trying to fight it, but I cave into the inevitable and land on all fours as a larger than average Amur Leopard. I feel myself growling at them deeply as I take in their scents. Blood-Love-Secrets is staring at me in shock as she takes in what she missed while working for me. Two-legged me recognises her as Natasha but instinctively I don't trust her. Calm-Angry-Willow stares at me his eyes dilated through his glasses. Human me knows him as Science-Bro and I instinctively take a liking to him. Then there's Olddust-Blueberry-Paint, Cap human me supplies, but I'm wary about him. Magic-Thunder-Alcohol, is apparently Thor who I'm sure I can trust. Then I spot Special-Smokey-Brother and I freeze. I growl at him in shock and hurt. Clint.

I hear the safety taken off of six guns and see Blood-Love-Secrets pointing one at me along with four others. When did they arrive? That's when I notice Blood-Death-Dark pointing one at me and a roar loud enough to be heard from the bedrooms rips through my throat at him in anger and I ready myself to pounce, baring my teeth at him. Before I can pounce one shoots at me and I jump quickly out of the way and roar even louder at them.

"STOP! You're going to make it worse!" Special-Smokey-Brother yells at them and I relax a bit when I notice some of them hesitate. Only Blood-Love-Secrets and Blood-Death-Dark are pointing weapons at me. Blood-Death-Dark stares at me briefly before glaring at Special-Smokey-Brother and speaking with anger in his voice.

"You don't know what that is Barton! That thing almost attacked me 9 years ago! It was made by Howard Stark himself along with another! We need to take it to see if we can control it, if we can't it'll have to be destroyed!" An even louder roar escapes from my mouth and I see them all flinch back in response which causes me to feel some pleasure.

"You can't take him! Tony's-" Special-Smokey-Brother is interrupted by Blood-Death-Dark again and I get ready to pounce again in my anger towards him.

"We'll take it and if we can't control it then we'll have Stark come in! Not before Barton now move aside!" He doesn't move and Blood-Death-Dark pushes him out of the way in his anger, causing him to land on the floor and give me a direct chance to pounce on Blood-Death-Dark. I leap at him before he even has the chance to raise his gun and he lands squarely on his back on the floor with me roaring in his face. I hear Special-Smokey-Brother yell something and I feel something pierce my side and I yelp in shock before falling onto my side next to Blood-Death-Dark. It takes a while for him to get over his shock at what happened-from what I can see of his face that is-and I feel agony rip through my body at the bullet in my side. Everything seems to go swimming and I hear screaming from in front of me and see the Cubs staring at me and crying. That's the last I see before everything collides with a loud crash and I turn off.

* * *

The first scent that reaches me as I begin to wake is the one of Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold and I can sense her near me, then I smell Special-Smokey-Brother next to her. I flip my tail up and down and a loud purr escapes my throat. I still haven't opened my eyes but I know they're both above me now whispering to me in a form of comfort without words. I continue purring and get louder as they start stroking my fur gently, avoiding the bandages that I can feel wrapped around me. I hear Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold whisper something to Special-Smokey-Brother and I hear him leave. In response to this I let a long cry escape my throat and whimper when I hear Vanilla-Sunshine-Gold continue comforting me which eases my crying somewhat, but not enough that it stops.

I hear the door open again and Special-Smokey-Brother comes in with Soft-Creampuff behind him. He places a hand next to the bandages and places a stethoscope next to it as he listens to my heartbeat. I immediately go quiet, knowing he'll need silence to know if I'm okay or not. After a few minutes of medical doohikies being used he quietly gives his approval for the Avengers to come in which immediately has my heart racing. I know the Avengers as friends or Human me does anyway, but I'm afraid of what they'll do to me. Vanilla senses me panicking and quickly whispers next to my ear: "They won't hurt you Sunset-Lightning-Stark, they promised, they just want to know you're okay." I relax a little, but tense up again when I hear them come in and I finally open my eyes.

The first I see is Vanilla, smiling down at me but clearly hasn't slept-that's a point how long was I asleep?-then Spokey-Brother guarding me and glaring at Blood-Love-Secrets-that's too long, many Blove-Secrets?-and I feel a small wave of pleasure at that which quickly fades when I see her expression towards me: anger, judgement, hate. I look away from her and see Olddust-Blueberry-Paint (maybe Olddust-Berrypaint?) watching me in concern, but wary to come too close, the others are expressing the same thing, standing close to the door in case I react badly.

I turn back to Vanilla and look down at myself then the curtain and then the Avengers. She nods in understanding and places clothes next to me before closing the curtains around the bed I'm laid on. I begin the shift and when I'm done I have to hold back a cry of pain and I see the bandages stretch to fit my torso better whilst still covering the wound. From what I can tell the bullet didn't go very far but even with my fast healing it'll still take a few hours for it to be completely healed.

Gingerly, I place my feet on the floor and hold onto the bed before putting my full weight on them, I gasp slightly in pain as my right leg flares in pain and I notice the bandage around my ankle-how had I missed that? I lean most of my weight on my left leg before carefully pulling on the underwear and trousers Pepper left me then I attempt to put on the shirt she left, but it rips when I put my arms through the sleeves so I rip them off. The shirt is still tight on my chest, but I'd rather wear some kind of shirt than let the Avengers see most of the scars on my chest, I'll have to deal with them asking about the ones on my arms though. I feel exhausted even though I only put clothes on, which must mean that I was out for a few days.

Now that I'm ready I carefully sit back down on the bed with my back against the pillows so that I can sit up properly since I can't seem to stand. I notice Pepper peak in and pull the curtains open when she sees that I'm dressed. The Avengers are closer now and more spread out instead of grouped together and I guess that they want to make sure I won't try anything by having them all stationed in different places. They gasp when they see the scars going up my arms-even Natasha did-and look back at me. I shrug indifferently though I'm really quite bothered about the fact that they can see them, and I feel very self-conscious since the shirt I'm wearing is rather tight on my chest and the Arc Reactor making it more noticeable and brighter since it's a stark white shirt.

I wait for them to ask a question since I don't want to be the first to speak, it takes a while but then Cap clears his throat, taking half of my attention, the other half is on the others in the room in case they try anything, and speaks. "How long have you been a Were Tony?" His voice is quiet and gentle, trying not to unnerve me I guess.

"Since I was 12." I state simply, being careful not to show any emotion.

"Since you were 12?! But I thought that Were's only shifted when they started their mid-twenties?" Bruce exclaims, I'm actually surprised that he knew anything about the Weres. Clearly I'm not the only one surprised.

"How did you know about Weres Bruce?" Cap asks bewildered.

"I met some in India, they told me a bit about Weres, they'd been persecuted by their people and left to try and find what they call 'The Council' that apparently takes care of the Weres and deals with the government from time to time doing business with them." They stare at him for a few seconds before turning back to me for clarification. I simply nod, not wanting to say much to them after what had happened, feeling a bit anti-social.

"Why were you so young when you became a Were Man of Iron?" Thor asks quietly, which is a surprise as he's usually deafening even to normal people.

"It happens with stress. Usually we're in our late teens when we shift or mid-twenties like Bruce said, but if we feel a strong emotion of any kind usually stress or anxiety, we can end up shifting early. I was mad at my Dad when it happened and I hadn't had a good day at school. I actually attacked him which really scared him and Mum. Things were much different after that." They look a me their faces somewhat akin to horror.

"You attacked Howard?!" Of course Cap would be the one to me mad about that, he doesn't know what he was like after the war though.

"I was exhausted from work, school, and my parents arguing. I didn't harm him in any way. He just ended up flat on his back on a sofa with me on top of him looking very angry at him. It was late as well, and I hadn't been able to sleep which is how I walked in on my parents arguing." I refrain from looking at him and the others as the memory begins to haunt my mind. I feel Pepper take my hand and squeeze it in comfort to help ease the memory away. The first memory of a shift is always the worst.

"What happened after that?" Bruce asks, wanting to keep arguments to a minimum since I am still injured.

"Well, they called a Were doctor who'd saved my life once before when one of Dad's experiments went wrong. He'd thought my parents knew I was a Were and that I'd already shifted despite my age. He then started teaching how to control myself when I'm the Leopard as he's a WereCat himself though a different species of one. I graduated from my lessons when I was sixteen not long before I proposed and married Pepper." They take this in before asking any more questions which takes a while, but soon Bruce had another question for me.

"How could your doctor tell that you were a Were before you even shifted?" I sighed, this is not the easiest question to answer and generally freaks other Weres out, so I have no idea how it'll affect them.

"There are... certain Weres who are 'blessed', if you want to call it that, with the ability of being able to see another person's true nature no matter who it is. You could describe it as a ball of light with different colours. There are only three colours. White, for purity, gold, for righteousness, and black for sin or evil. Weres with the ability to see a person's true nature or light are tasked by The Council to search for Weres and train them in and out of their Were form depending on what species they can turn into. They are also Hunters. There are different ranks in Were status. There are the Graduated, Searchers/Hunters (Hunters being the higher rank in that part), Commanders, Elders, and then The Council leaders." I pause taking a breath as my side begins to hurt because I'm fidgeting too much.

"What does each rank do?" Cap asks, I figured he'd ask that since he was in the army and always seems to put everything to ranks.

"The Graduated is just those Weres who have graduated from their training and wish to get on with their lives and not go into the business of finding other Weres as it takes up a lot of time and a lot of effort is put into it. Also, with each species there are Commanders, ones who take care of the Weres of there species. Such as the WereCats, WereWolves, WereFouls/Birds and you get the gist. There will be three Commanders and the highest ranking Elder in that species acting as caretakers and representers to any government meetings or quarrels with Were's. The Searchers go looking for Weres who are either going to shift or have. The Hunters go looking for Weres who have gone rogue or against the system that is in place, they then either bring them back to the Council or report to a Commander who reports to the Elders who have to deal with them." I decide to stop there, thinking that's enough information for them and that they'll leave me alone, but unfortunately my luck isn't that good.

"What do the Elders do with the ones who have gone rogue?" Natasha asks, surprising me since she'd only been observing for the past half hour and not speaking to me just glaring at me. She's not glaring at me now but I can tell she's suspicious about the Weres.

"That I cannot tell you." I state, I've given them enough information and I can't give them anymore information as it would be breaking an oath.

"Why not?" She demands, her face going a bit red in her anger.

"Because I would be breaking an oath to tell you. Also the information is sacred and can only be spoken about to those who can also 'see the light'. I am not permitted to share this with you and even if I could I wouldn't, you would tell SHIELD directly and that cannot be allowed and I don't trust you either Romanoff, and the Leopard certainly doesn't either so you better watch what you do around me or bad things could happen to you." I glare at her in my anger for a moment before turning away and looking back at Pepper at Clint, they were both wary and neither seemed quite sure what to do.

I gave them a small smile to help them with their nerves and they smiled back ever so slightly. They knew what the Elders would do as they had both witnessed it and cannot say a word or they will literally die, like myself. I watch them for a while before letting my exhaustion seep over my body but before I let it completely take me, I take a look at everyone in the room and I can clearly see their hidden lights.


End file.
